American Dream
by grr.cookie.rawr
Summary: Sequel to Pound of Flesh; All she wanted was some time on her own to figure out her priorities, but everything crashes and burns. Her choice is taken out of her hands and a world of nightmares creeps in. She doesn't like asking people for much, but she does have one desperate request. "Don't let me fall asleep."
1. For Better or For Worse

When DJ explained it all to Steve she was gentle and patient. Mostly out of kindness, but also because she really didn't know what to expect. Steve's a polite, mature adult, but he's also stubborn and reluctant to let what little he has go.

Steve has been through a war, and pushed around by time, and watched her nearly die. So of course he's not a blubbering mess.

He's also sacrificed everything for the greater good and spent night after endless night regretting the chances that he let slip through his fingers. So of course he's not angry, either.

But he'd also spent countless hours discovering new ways to make her laugh, and learning to kiss her stupid, and fighting to breathe around her, and watching her die when there was nothing he could do. So of course he's not really okay with it at all.

Mostly he's just tired. There's an ache in his bones that no super serum can heal, and no matter how much he sleeps he always seems to be dragging. But he can't make her stay if she doesn't want to.

He's not around when she packs her things and promises everyone she'll still drop in to see them. When she makes plans with Natasha to go out drinking that weekend and gives Bruce a brand new African violet from that little shop around the corner. When she refuses to accept the keys to the brand new sports car Tony bought for her, and she tells Pepper to make sure her wayward boyfriend eats, sleeps, and doesn't try to buy DJ any more ridiculously lavish gifts. When Thor wraps her up in a bone crushing hug and she punches Clint in the arm and says "Tag, you're it."

DJ doesn't hold that against Steve, and it's not like they won't see each other again. Neither of them like goodbyes, anyway, no matter how temporary.

Steve's room is too empty now, though. He misses the dresses in his closet- lace, or cotton, or silk and often too short. He misses tripping over her shoes. Misses watching movies with her where the dialogue is too vulgar, and the gore looks too real, and the people show too much as they make love on screen. Misses the endless tubes of makeup all over his bathroom that always, without fail, ended up staining his shirts when she curled up close.

The sheets stop smelling of lavender after the sixth time he washes them, and he doesn't know if that's better or worse.

Life at home isn't all that great for DJ, either. She loves her parents and she still looks up to them, but there are the same impossible expectations from them that have been there since she was a child. They want her to go back to school and go after a _real_ degree this time. They want her to start dating the new surgical intern at her father's hospital. They want her to wear more clothes and less makeup and stand straighter and be less mouthy.

She wants to tear her hair out because, God damn it, she's risked her life several times to save the world and she was in a relationship with _Captain America_ and that's **still** not good enough.

There are paparazzi that hide in the bushes outside of her house and make sure she's in the tabloids nearly as much as Tony. They catch her drunk off her ass after a night out with Natasha, and then they take heart-melting pictures of her volunteering at an animal shelter. They find it fit to take a million pictures of the _one_ real date she went on with Johnny Storm, and a billion more pictures of the _one_ walk of shame she took the next morning, because even though they figured out they're not really compatible long-term, the sex is still fantastic.

She doesn't try to date after that, because every time someone asks all she can see is bright blue eyes and pouty lips curling up in a bashful smile. It's hard to find a nice, normal man that can compete with the peak of human perfection, and mutants are more drama than she can handle at the moment.

There are a few photo spreads in magazines that even her sister disapproves of. Tony leaves a copy of each one in the living room for Steve, and it's out of kindness instead of hostility. If anyone knows that Steve keeps the magazines in his nightstand drawer no one comments on it.

DJ keeps her promise and shows up at the tower often. Her and Steve are worse at the whole friendship thing than they were before. Except now they're not exchanging longing touches and inappropriate kisses, but awkward small talk and obvious fake excuses to escape.

She's eating Thai in the workshop with Tony one day and he won't shut up about Steve. It's all Cap did _this_ and Cap did _that_ and _did you know that Cap_ blah blah blah. She slams the noodle container onto the table and narrows her eyes. "What are you doing?"

"What do you mean? I'm having a conversation." Tony doesn't even look like he's faking innocence this time, and when he's faking it's blatantly obvious because he knows the least about being innocent ever.

"About Steve."

He looks at her like it's a serious possibility that she has brain damage. "Yes. About Steve."

"Tony, you only ever talk this much about two people- yourself and Pepper. And you only talk about Pepper because you're in love with her and having lots of hot sex with her and is there something you need to tell me? Are you fucking Steve now? Because that would be an unexpected plot twist."

He rolls his eyes, like _she's_ the one being weird. "Steve and I get along better now, that's all."

"I'm fairly certain I just misheard you, because last time I noticed you and Steve bicker like over-competitive siblings."

"Oh, we still do that," he grins. "But it's more good-natured now."

She doesn't have a response to that, so she lets silence settle in over them. She half-expects Tony to get all uncomfortable and serious and say something like _he's a wreck without you_, but he doesn't. It's possible that he's finally learned his lesson and has stopped trying to do those relationship talks. But Tony never learns, so…

It's not that she wants Steve to be a wreck- she doesn't. She's not _that_ self-absorbed and cruel. It's just she was kind of starting to really desperately miss him and it'd be nice if he felt the same way. The fact that he clearly doesn't kind of puts her in a bad mood, so she takes that as her cue to leave.

The bad mood carries over to the next time she visits.

She looks all around the tower but all she finds is Steve. His smile is friendlier this time, less uncomfortable. He puts aside the book he's been reading and politely stands to greet her. "Hey. Nice to see you again."

"Sure," she answers a little shortly, nervous like a caged animal. "Where is everybody?"

"Uh, Tony and Pepper are out for dinner, I think. Thor's in New Mexico visiting Ms. Foster, Natasha and Clint are on a mission, and Bruce just got called in to HQ by Fury to discuss 'sciencey stuff.'"

She bites her cheek to stifle a groan. "I see… Well, I… I should go then."

"You don't have to," and if she didn't know any better she'd say Steve looked hurt. "You and I can hang out."

"Why would we do that?" DJ doesn't mean to snap. She doesn't even mean to say it, really, but her brain-to-mouth filter must have shorted out and she didn't come prepared for alone time with Steve.

Steve's face scrunches up in annoyance. "Look, I don't know what your problem is, but-"

"I don't have a problem," she cuts him off, and _God_, it's like her and Tony switched bodies. All the sudden Steve and Tony are buddy-buddy, but DJ and Steve can't stand to be in the same room together? Not something she would've predicted a few months ago. "But it's not like you're easy to talk to anymore, so why bother?"

"That's the most childish thing I've ever heard," he counters. "Something's difficult, so you leave? If that's how you're going to behave then you're right. Go back to your parents. Go back to pouting and posing for a camera. Go back to having meaningless sex with any man that gives you any amount of attention."

Boy did Steve know exactly what to say to hurt. He _is_ a brilliant tactician.

"Maybe I will! Why don't _you_ go back to pining over your past like any mature adult would do." Steve's good, but DJ has run around with the meanest. If anyone can sling words, it's her. "Go cry over a woman who moved on with her life and probably never thought twice about you after you disappeared. Go back to your stale excuses for running away from the future, because the serum did wonders for your body, Sweetheart, but inside you're still just a weak, meaningless little ant."

He doesn't even flinch, which isn't all that surprising considering him and Tony must have had it out like this a million times before. But it surprising when he gives DJ a small smile. "I'm not meaningless. I mean something to _you_."

"No you don't," DJ bites back too quickly and too defensively. "You don't."

"Yes I do." Soft, matter-of-fact. A hand reaching out to play in her curls. "I'll always mean something to you."

It hurts because it's true, and she doesn't know if she could say the same. "Shut up!" She knocks his hands away and slams her palms against his chest for good measure. He looks wholly unimpressed. "I hate you! I _hate_ you!"

Steve grabs her roughly around the waist, hauling her up against his body to crash his lips down on hers. DJ growls into the kiss and digs her nails into his shoulders, trying to pull him impossibly closer. They shuffle blindly in a random direction, probably in search of a bedroom, but neither are entirely cognizant at the moment. The back of Steve's calves catch on Tony's ridiculously expensive coffee table, and the two of them topple over onto it, the wood splintering into a dozen pieces under their combined weight.

They're too wrapped up in each other to care about the table, never separating as they roll across the floor in a practiced move. DJ fumbles with the button on Steve's slacks as Steve hitches DJ's dress up around her hips. Her underwear is tossed somewhere among the shards of the coffee table, but she's far too busy to take notice precisely.

Steve slides into her fast, making her breath catch and nails scrape pink lines down his back. They crash against each other rough, and angry, and desperate. Steve bites down on DJ's neck to stifle a moan, making her give a breathy gasp and arch her back, bringing them closer still. DJ's legs clench around Steve's waist, urging him on, as her hands move to tug painfully at his hair.

It's over quick- too quick- with a shudder and a groan as he collapses on top of her. There's a brief lull of silence, filled only with their labored breathing. And then it's just awkward.

Steve rolls off to the side, looking everywhere but at DJ as he hurriedly refastens his pants. "I… Sorry."

"About the sex? Or about implying that I'm a needy slut?" She pulls her skirt back down around her thighs and stares at Steve until he has no choice but to meet the gaze.

There's a concentrated crease between his brows, like the one he gets when he's giving out orders during battle or finishing up a sketch. "I feel like this is a trick question."

"Still a moron, I see," DJ huffs, standing up to make a hasty retreat. "You'd think you'd learn a thing or two after all this time. You pick up everything else fast. I guess women are just your blind spot."

Steve sits up, helplessly watching her go. "It's- I- You forgot your underwear!"

"Keep 'em," she throws over her shoulder just before the elevator doors snick shut behind her.

It takes her two weeks to miss Steve again in that horribly miserable way. It's a new record. She usually only lasts a few hours between bouts of Captain America induced depression.

She figures she can do this. The whole behaving like an adult thing and apologizing for her part in all this. After all, she participated in the unhealthy angry sex, too. And she _did_ say some really terrible things to him (even if he started it). And her sudden guilt has _nothing_ to do with her needing an excuse to see him.

On the way over she rehearses a sincerely contrite speech in her head. It's great, really. Heart warming. It maybe makes her fantasize about Steve swooning and running into her arms. And then sex. Happy sex. But that's irrelevant.

The elevator doors open and she's met with an antsy Tony practically squirming on top of her. "What the hell are you doing?" She asks half-skeptical, half-amused.

"Not much. Just greeting you. Been awhile. We should catch up, you know? Just us. One on one. Not here. Out. Lunch? Let's do lunch."

"Tony, it's past eight. We're so far past lunch that you missed dinner." DJ brushes by him into the living room. "You're being weird. Where's Steve?"

Tony scrambles to get back in her path, encroaching way too much in her personal space. "He's busy. You know he is. Always doing something. Can never relax. Can never-"

"_You_ need to relax," she laughs. "What's he doing? Sparring? Paper work? It's important. I'm sure he won't mind if I pop in."

She dodges Tony and starts down the hall. He grabs for her shoulder, but she shrugs him off, confused by his determination. And that's when the door to Steve's bedroom opens, and out comes Steve. Shirt unbuttoned, hair disheveled, lips kiss-swollen.

And then out from behind him comes Maria Hill.

Time shudders to a halt in that moment. DJ's sanity falls away in little pieces, much like her heart quivers and bursts. She really has no room to be hurt, because really, _Johnny Storm_, but could it not have been **anyone** else?

She hates that woman. Really, truly. And she hates Fury and SHIELD and all the stupid brainless drones that work there. She hates being on a leash when she's just trying to help and she hates how it complicates her personal life and ruins _everything_.

And she hates the way that Steve's smiling at Hill like she's just the greatest. Like she's swell. And how he looks shocked that DJ's there and not embarrassed or ashamed. And how she loves him but it's too much sometimes. All the time.

She was right. It's better this way.

She doesn't need Steve _or_ the Avengers.


	2. Down, Down, Down

It's about the time that she decides she doesn't need Steve _or_ the Avengers that the choice is taken completely out of her hands.

When it happens she can't stay still, and she doesn't know where to go. There are several places that are automatically ruled out because they'd obviously just upset her further. For instance, the hospital to see her father, or the firm her mother works at. Or the Tower because Steve is there.

But… But one place Steve makes a habit of steering clear from is Tony's workshop, and Tony has a habit of never leaving Tony's workshop and it's possible DJ _really_ needs some Tony time right now.

Now all she has to do is find a way to get to Tony without running into Steve, or the devil bitch formerly known as Maria Hill. Or Natasha who will know something's up. Or Clint who she'd probably punch in the face at the moment.

Best case scenario she gets greeted by Bruce or Thor. Pepper won't be there because, oh hey, she broke up with Tony again.

The scenario that actually happens is not the best case scenario. It's probably the worst, because when she reaches the front entrance to the tower Hill is just leaving. "Fuck."

"Nice to see you again, too, Ryder."

"Yeah, sure," DJ shifts her weight impatiently. "Your presence is a ray of sunshine in the darkness that is my life. What are you doing here?"

Hill smiles stiffly. "Debriefing."

"Cute," the blonde sneers.

"Don't know what you're talking about," she feigns innocence. "I should get going."

DJ gives an overly sweet smile. "Right. Better get back to your perch at the fiery gates of hell before Satan takes his job back."

"What refreshingly cutting wit," Hill remarks dryly. "It's a mystery why you and Stark are alone."

DJ glares as the taller woman brushes past her and starts down the sidewalk. "I'm sure Fury taught you all your insults. It's not really a secret that you're his living, breathing flesh puppet."

Hill ignores her and sharply turns the corner, which aggravates DJ more than another sharp jab in the ego would have. DJ curses under her breath and steps into the elevator, punching the button that'll take her to the floor of Tony's workshop.

The ascent is slow and does nothing to calm her nerves. Why is she nervous? It's just Tony. He probably won't even notice she's there until she's leaving. And if he does notice her presence he'll probably just spend the entire time talking about his own personal genius.

With a _snick_ the doors slide open and Tony's rambling before he even looks up at her. "Hey, what's up? Actually don't tell me because I've been working on something new. I know you're taking one of those soul searching breaks, but this is really-" He stops short, narrowing his eyes. "Are your boobs bigger?"

That's all it takes for DJ to burst into tears.

Tony awkwardly lets DJ fall against his chest and sob into his grease stained shirt. "I'm sorry?" He pats her back in confusion. "I didn't mean it. Your boobs aren't bigger. In fact they're probably smaller."

"Tony," she sniffs, pulling away to wipe at her eyes. "I'm pregnant."

"You- I- _What_?" It's funny sort of, that this is the sort of conversation he's been fearing for most of his life, and now that he's finally having it he doesn't even have to be worried. But he is. And it's new, the whole involvement in other peoples' lives thing. "When did you and Steve even have sex?"

Kind of an invasive question, but fair. "I don't know, a couple weeks ago? We broke your coffee table."

Tony gives a scandalized gasp. "Steve told me that happened while sparring with Thor!"

"Nope. He was grappling with an entirely different blonde. And instead of his shield he was using his penis."

"Can we maybe not talk about Steve's penis?" Tony requests wrinkling his nose.

DJ huffs in exasperation. "Well can you maybe say something relevant?"

The genius pauses, giving her an assessing look before stating, "You two will have a very blonde baby."

"Thank you," she says too sincerely for the comment Tony's tossed at her.

"For what?"

She pulls him into a loose hug, resting her head on his shoulder. "For not asking if I'm going to be okay. Because I honestly don't know if I am."

"You'll be fine. You handled the whole I'm-a-mutant-with-an-abusive-boyfriend-and-now-I'm-being-manipulated-by-a-villain-and-oh-hey-I-died-for-like-two-minutes thing with ease. How hard can a kid be?" Tony asks with a half-shrug. "When are you going to tell Cap?"

"Um…" DJ fidgets nervously with the hem of her shirt. "Eventually?"

Tony rolls his eyes, turning his back on DJ to return to his work table. "It better not be too eventually. You only have so long before it's obvious something's up."

* * *

It's a week later and she's going to tell Steve. Really. She is. It's something he needs to know and he'll probably be pretty cool about it. Well not _cool_, but he's not exactly going to bail on her. And the news will probably end up driving a wedge between him and Hill… Which is an awful thing to want, but Hill is a bitch and DJ is petty so whatever.

And DJ really, really, _really_ intends to tell Steve everything the second she gets into the tower, but he starts speaking before she gets the chance.

"Hey," his smile is a little stilted, not out of unkindness, but out of a genuine lack of knowing how to behave around her. "You could've told us you were planning to come out of retirement."

"I- What?" DJ looks around Steve at Fury, who is lingering by suspiciously close.

"Director Fury told us about how you're going to join us on the next mission." Steve claps a hand on her shoulder. "That's great."

DJ has to fight to hold back a scowl. "Yeah. Great. I actually have to talk to Fury, so if you'd excuse us." She brushes Steve off and curls her fingers around the lapel of Fury's coat, boldly dragging him behind her into the next room.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" She explodes immediately once they have privacy. "Is this how adults do things now? Making decisions for people behind their backs? I filled out all the proper paper work and I think I more than paid my dues. You're fucked in the head if you think I'm going to hop back into action just because you told me to."

Fury glares with his one intimidating eye, unimpressed with her spiel. "This one's important. Trust me, I wouldn't want to deal with you if I didn't have to. This mission requires the best and the brightest, and as much as it pains me to admit, you're one of the best."

"Well thanks for that backhanded compliment, but I know what you really mean is that I'm one of the best that you think you have authority over. But you don't. Because I quit. Remember? That was definitely a thing."

"You have a gift and you know how to use it now. You're really going to put people in danger because you don't feel like saving the world today?" Fury gives her a look that's so piercing it would probably kill if he had both eyes.

DJ sighs. "Yeah, I get the whole danger thing, but there are a shit ton of superheroes in New York alone. I understand this is big shit, but I've got a lot of big shit going on in my life too right now. I just can't. Because of reasons."

"Well in that case," he starts to pace around the room too casually to actually be casual for him. "Don't think of it in terms of employment. Think of it as I did you a favor, and now you owe me one."

"Um, pardon me, but you haven't done shit for me. You've done the opposite of favors. You've practically harassed me."

He grins then, producing a flash drive from his inside pocket. "I like to keep my favors on the down low until they're needed. A little while ago a friend of yours got a little camera happy in the bedroom, and then he decided it'd be nice to brag to some friends. You know how that goes. It goes to a friend of a friend, and then to the media. I gave these gentlemen a stern talking to and now I have the only copy left right here in my hands. If you don't appreciate the favor I could always give it back."

"Are you seriously bribing me with a sex tape right now? To save the world?" DJ stares at him blankly. "And you're assuming I'd care?"

"I'm assuming Rogers would care. And you'd care that he cares."

DJ groans, tipping her head back to glower at the ceiling. "Fucking Johnny Storm."

* * *

"I can't believe you're doing this," Tony rants for the millionth time, buckling himself in as the jet starts to rumble and swerve. "And that's me saying this. Which is bad. Because I can believe a lot of things. Plus I'm usually the one people are saying this to. So you've disappointed the King of Poor decision making. How does that make you feel?"

"Like I need some Aspirin."

Tony huffs and glances across the jet at Steve. "I'm not even proud of your snark. This is bad. How would Steve take it if something happened?"

"Well considering he's not really aware of the situation going on in my womb right now, I don't think he'd take it very hard." DJ unstraps herself, despite her better judgment, and stands up. "And I don't really have a choice. Johnny kind of fucked me over in the not really good way."

"Want me to kill him? Because I could. I totally could. People don't look twice when people with lots of money commit murders. It's like a mob thing."

DJ rolls her eyes and starts to edge her way towards the bathroom, fighting back the urge to vomit- either from the not-so morning sickness or the undulating jet. "No I don't want you to kill him. He didn't do it on purpose, Tony. He's a nice guy, but his judgment is somewhere in the Tony range, ya know? Doesn't really think things through all the time."

"I don't care if he meant to or not," he replies stubbornly, eyes still tracking Steve's movements. "He put you and Rogers junior in danger."

"Shut the fuck up, please?" She hisses from the doorway. "I'm not in danger. I made it clear to Fury that I'd be the last line of defense. I won't even step foot off the plane unless it's absolutely necessary. Can you keep your big mouth shut, now?"

DJ doesn't wait for an answer as she slams the bathroom door shut behind her, and Steve doesn't wait one half second before he's filled the space she's vacated. "Is she alright?"

Tony finally looks away, not trusting himself to meet Steve's eyes. "She's fine Cap. Motion sickness. You know how it is."

"Yeah, no, I understand, but that's not all." He slumps down next to Tony, looking down at his hands like they hold all the answers. "She's just been off, lately. I can't be the only one that's noticed. And I feel awful, because I said some things that I… And well she said some too, and we both handled it poorly and I wish I knew how to apologize but whenever I get near her she gets this _look_, and…"

"Life just isn't all puppies and rainbows for her right now." Is the best Tony can manage, and it's not a lie, it's just majorly dancing around the truth. "And she's still hung up on you, no matter what she says. Or how much she glares, yells, and snaps. I know all the tricks. She's running on survival mode."

Steve sighs and throws his hands up helplessly. "But why does she feel like she has to? She's the one who left, Johnny Storm." head back to glare at the ceiling.y left right here in my hands. If you don'behave around her.?" What did she expect me to do? I waited around. I waited around for a really long time. And it's not like we had the easiest relationship to begin with. She made it clear she moved on, and then _I_ try and _I'm_ the bad guy. I'm just trying to do what she wants. Was I supposed to drag her back to the tower and demand that she love me?"

"Probably," Tony answers, and that's not really what Steve wanted to hear. "Sometimes people want the opposite of what they say they want. Especially women. And especially her. She's scared. She's always been scared. She's never had a healthy relationship, and all she wants is someone to tell her that they'd pick her over anything else in the world, no matter what."

"That's ridiculous," Steve mumbles, and Tony almost wants to choke him. "Of course I would. I thought that was obvious."

Well okay then. The choking thing was a bit premature.

"Christ. You're both fucking idiots then. I give up."

The bathroom door opens and DJ and Steve exchange an awkward look. Before either of them can say anything the jet jostles again. And again. And more violently this time. And there's a quick shift in altitude and there's just the plunging feeling of _down_, _down, down_.

Steve's familiar with it, braces himself, trying to stay in the moment because letting his vision swim with ice isn't going to help anybody.

And Tony's used to falling, he doesn't have to brace himself, but he gives DJ a panicked glance because he _knows_. He knows that she can handle herself, but the little Ryder-Rogers blob can't. He jumps to his feet to catch her but the jet shifts again and everyone cries out upon impact.

The lights flicker, and there's a grating alarm cutting through the air.

Bruce surprisingly keeps himself together, the green grumpy side of him safely under wraps. Thor is largely unruffled, grumbling more out of complaint than pain. Clint and Natasha are fine, buckled safely into the front seats, like Tony. Steve is a heap on the floor, but he's moving so there's no worries there.

But Tony can't find DJ.

He unbuckles himself, stumbling for balance. "DJ! _DJ_!" He doesn't hear a response but he knows she's okay. He knows because she has to be. She _has_ to be. "DJ!"

Tony finds her in the bathroom, curled up between the wall and the toilet. She's fine. Not even bleeding. But she's shaking and pale. He crouches down next to her, grabbing her wrists. "Are you okay?"

"Am I o- How can you even ask that?" Her voice is flat, face blank, eyes staring off at nothing. "You were at the same briefing I was."

And suddenly Tony realizes the situation they're in. Stranded on an island off the map. No backup. Just them and a high-level threat. A mutant. A man who can weave realities out of anyone's worst nightmares.

"Tony," she calls shakily, fingers digging into his arms.

He's slow in meeting her gaze, because he knows what he'll see in her eyes. Vulnerability. Paralyzing fear. And he knows that everything she's afraid of is too much to lose. Steve. A baby.

"Tony," she says again, failing to fight back the tears that leak down her cheeks. "Don't let me fall asleep."

* * *

A whole lot just happened in this chapter, and you guys are amazing, so chapter three should be up real soon. Reviews of any kind are always fabulous, and totally get my brain itching to write more.


	3. Fractures

"Stay on the jet," Tony barks, while DJ glares from the doorway and everyone else gawks incredulously. "I'm not kidding."

"Oh, sorry, you must be _confused_. See, you're _old_ enough to be my father, but you definitely aren't." DJ hops down onto the dirt next to Tony. "I'm not staying behind."

Tony raises his faceplate to show off his scowl. "I've clearly overestimated your intelligence in the past. You're about to step into a veritable _jungle_ with limited supplies and the very likely possibility of running into the bad man that trapped us here. _Stay on the damn jet_."

"And clearly the press was a little premature in calling you a genius," she bites back, jabbing a finger hard into the chest of his armor. "You want me to stay behind _alone_ with no reliable means of communications in the very spot that the bad man grounded us in! _Stay out of my damn way_."

"What got in to them?" Clint mutters to Natasha, glancing warily back and forth between Tony and DJ.

Natasha shrugs, unconcerned. "No idea. But they're both infuriatingly stubborn, so it was only a matter of time before they blew up at each other."

"I do not mean to interrupt the venting of such strong emotions," Thor interjects, placing a gigantic hand on both their shoulders. "But I would have to agree with the lady. This is surely a trap, and any menace would relish in the thought of separating us."

Tony shrugs him off, shredding him to pieces with a look. "I'm so glad we got commentary from the 16th century. Get back to me when you learn how to use a microwave."

"Don't be a prick to Thor just because you can't win every argument presented to you," DJ huffed, slinging an arm around the God's waist.

"We'll stick together," Steve decides firmly, giving a nod of solidarity to Thor. "Strength in numbers. We'll fill up some packs and we'll be fine. Our absence won't go unnoticed, help will come soon."

The sun is starting to set behind the trees and help has yet to come. Despite Tony's best efforts the comms are still down, and despite Steve's they appear to be lost. The only ones not feeling the ache from the stuffed-to-the-brim packs on their backs are the super soldier, the god, and the man in a suit of armor.

"It's been five hours," Bruce points out nervously. "Five hours of radio silence when HQ gets nervous after ten minutes. They know something's up, so why haven't they come?"

"Maybe they have," Clint answers, treading carefully over a patch of thick roots. "Maybe they're combing the jungle for us right now. Or maybe they crashed just like us."

Either the ground gives out beneath DJ's feet, or DJ's feet give out as they touch the ground, because she hits the dirt with a bounce, sprawled out on her back, too tired and sore to attempt to catch herself. Steve kneels down beside her, warm fingers ghosting over her ankles to check for damage. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"I'm just tired," she sighed, slipping the pack off her shoulders to lay more comfortably. "You forget sometimes that we're not all at the peak of human perfection. Every step for you is like five for me. It's a little hard to keep up."

"You should've said something sooner," he said, face going soft and- No. DJ turned her head away, making something in Steve's chest clench. "We'll stop for the day. It's too dangerous to continue in the dark, anyway."

Tony sighs in frustration, plopping down on a fallen tree and almost splitting it in half under the force and weight of his armor. "And then what? We just wait here for Freddy Krueger to pick us off one by one?"

"We keep each other awake," Natasha insists, pulling a gleaming knife out of her boot as she takes a seat next to DJ on the ground. "And we make sure we're prepared in case we can't."

"We can only wait for so long," Bruce says solemnly, leaning his back against a mossy tree. "If help doesn't come and we don't sleep we'll start hallucinating, which could be just as dangerous as dreaming. And our bodies will start to shut down."

"That's healthy," Tony snarks, shooting DJ a pointed look.

Steve slips an arm under DJ's shoulders and lifts her into a sitting position. "Well I don't intend to wait that long."

"What are you going to do, Steve?" DJ rolls her eyes, leaning up against his side for support. "Jump in the ocean and swim back to New York?"

"No," he answers, trying not to let his breathing pick up as DJ's head falls tiredly against his shoulder, giving him a nose full of that familiar lavender. "We're going to find this guy and we're going to stop him."

"Well isn't that just fucking perfect," Tony scoffs. "Let's just stroll right into the face of danger when we're at our most vulnerable."

DJ laughs humorlessly, fighting against the sudden weight of exhaustion, and the pang of hunger in her gut, and the constriction in her lungs from touching Steve again. "Isn't that what you usually do, Tony?"

"The circumstances are a bit different this time." He slams his fist down, and the rotting tree crumbles under the blow.

"Will you _calm_ down? Fuck knows why you're so angry right now."

"Why aren't _you_ angry?" He demands, and there's a seriousness in Tony's eyes that's never been so sharp before. "Are you delusional? Or do you just not care?"

"I-"

"_Save it_." Tony storms off in the direction they came from, grumbling under his breath.

Steve sits up a bit straighter, trying to run back through the recent conversation for clues as to what just happened. "Where are you going?"

"To blow something up!"

Steve's startled to find DJ wavering to her feet and shuffling angrily off in the opposite direction. "And where are _you_ going?!"

"Same!"

Bruce heaves a heavy sigh and points towards the direction Tony is barreling through. "I'll go try to talk some sense in to him."

"As will I!" Thor booms. "For it may be necessary to overpower him should he be too upset. I do not wish for you to be injured, Banner."

Natasha springs to her feet, curling a hand around Clint's elbow. "We'll go after DJ and make sure she doesn't atomize something useful."

"Right," Clint agrees suspiciously, glancing between Steve and the expectant Russian with a vice grip on one of his limbs. "You stay here, Cap. Guard the… Base… Camp. Whatever."

When they catch up to DJ she's, surprisingly, _not_ obliterating everything in sight. Instead she's got her arms wrapped around the knees pulled up to her chest, head titled back and resting against a tree trunk, tears threatening to spill over.

"You cried less when I shot you," Clint comments softly as he crouches down next to her. "This is, what, the fourth time today? Once in Tony's workshop before the briefing, once in the locker room before takeoff, the bathroom after the crash, and now. You're face doesn't get puffy, but you can't hide the red in your eyes."

DJ lets her head loll to the side as she gives Clint and Natasha a tired look. "On a scale from zero to ten, how much do you know?"

"Eleven," the redhead answers nudging the younger woman with her toe.

"What's that even supposed to _mean_?"

Clint flashes a smug smirk. "That we probably know more than you do about your own life."

"So…"

"You're pregnant," Natasha shrugs like it's nothing out of the ordinary. "It's Steve's. He doesn't know. You're terrified. You're still in love with Steve and Steve's still in love with you but you're both too insecure and bullheaded to believe that. Tony's pissed at you because he- rather hypocritically might I add- doesn't think you're taking the situation seriously enough, and he's hurting for Steve because the only thing that man wants more than to save America from injustice is a family. Did I miss anything?"

DJ pouts at the stream of alarmingly accurate information pouring out of Natasha's mouth. "Yes. The only reason I'm on this stupid mission is because Fury blackmailed me with a sex tape."

"Shit," Clint laughs rising back to his full height. "That's a twist."

Natasha arches a perfectly shaped brow. "Pepper was right. You are getting more like Tony every day."

"That's not- Hey! Since when am I talked about behind my back? I don't like this. Especially since it's with Pepper. She's on my shit-list right now."

After dragging the blonde to her feet, Natasha gives her a gentle shove in the direction of the base-camp-whatever. "Because she broke up with Stark again? Can't have that- messing with an Avenger's emotions could compromise a mission. Oh wait, you and Steve do that every other day."

"And yet I'm the only one who gets berated for it," DJ complains.

"Neglecting to tell the man about his unborn baby kind of trumps boinking Hill." Clint snickers, enjoying her plight far too much.

DJ throws her hands up in the air in defeat. "What is with every one?! It's not like I'm going to run away to Europe, give birth, hand the baby off to an orphanage, and never clue Steve in. I'm _going_ to tell him, but now really isn't the time."

"Well when is?" Natasha asks, more disapproving than she has any right to be, considering some of the things _she's_ done in the past.

"I don't know," DJ snaps, stopping to shoot them both an icy look. "Maybe when I'm sure that my mutant dissolvey tendencies don't mean bye, bye baby."

Clint and Natasha are both shocked into silence, apparently never considering that possibility before. And why would they? They know about living a life of danger, but not about that danger being a part of them. It's not their fault, and it's not just them. DJ's noticed others forgetting, too. All of them. Even Bruce, who understands her pain more than anyone.

She even forgets sometimes, until life turns around and slaps her in the face to remind her.

A baby. A _fucking_ baby. When she can barely take care of herself. What a cosmic joke.

When they arrive back at base-camp-whatever Bruce and Thor are back with a considerably more calm Tony. He actually looks contrite. It's not a good look on him.

"Hey."

"Hey… I-"

"Wait," DJ cut him off, much to everyone's annoyance. Stark didn't apologize to just _anyone_. "Where's Steve?"

Shit. Where _was_ Steve? He hadn't been there when the first three of them got back, but they were all too busy winding down to notice. Even Clint and Natasha- the eyes and ears of the group- didn't take stock of an absence.

Fear leapt up into her throat. "Fuck. We have to find him. We did exactly what this creep wanted. We isolated each other. So we're not going to fan out to search, we'll look together. Follow me. And quit giving me those looks, I don't give a damn who's second in command. This is _Steve_. I'm going to find him."

"He's fine," Tony assures as he falls into step behind her, and he sounds even more full of shit than usual. "You know he is. If he was asleep we'd notice. It's not exactly like the skies are raining Nazis, so he has to be awake. He probably just went to look for one of us and got lost."

"When's the last time Steve got lost?" DJ shoots him down, eyes darting around to scan the jungle.

"About thirty minutes ago," Clint remarks dryly. "When he led us to the base-camp-whatever."

She stops, rounding on them all with a desperate expression. "And that didn't seem a little weird to you at the time?"

"You're right," Bruce concedes, taking his glasses off in a nervous gesture. "An infallible sense of navigation is supposed to be practically ingrained in him."

Tony nods, eyes lighting up with theories. "What if this guy doesn't need dreams? I mean, not completely. What if he just needs them to get inside our heads and work out our biggest fears? What if he can manipulate reality whenever he chooses? It makes sense, doesn't it? Why else would our jet go down in precisely the right place?"

"Aye," Thor agrees gravely. "I had suspicions that the vegetation was changing around us."

DJ growls and shouts at the darkening sky. "It's not fair!"

"Thank you. I thought I couldn't have felt any more like I was in the Labyrinth, but you really sealed the deal," Tony rambled, taking hesitant steps towards a faint glow in the near distance. "Any minute David Bowie will leap from the bushes and start singing."

"I do not understand," Thor frowns, following bravely.

Natasha just rolls her eyes, brandishing her knife again. "Maybe we should save the Eighties pop-culture references for another time."

"It's perfect though, admit it. Trippy inconsistent setting? Babe with the power? Quirky friends? We've even got the baby!"

"Baby?" Bruce furrows his brow. "Where do we have a baby?"

Three sets of deadly eyes snap to Tony. "Er… You, Babyface. Who else?"

There's a rustle in the bushes and DJ pushes through all of them. "Steve? Steve is that you? Say something…"

She pushes some fronds out of the way and, sure enough, there's Steve. Unconscious Steve, stretched out on the ground. "Steve! Steve, baby, you have to wake up, okay? I know you won't mean to, but something very bad will happen if you don't."

There's a new cut across his temple, and he doesn't even stir when she gives him a rough shake. "I think someone knocked him out." She digs her fingers into the material of his uniform. "I don't know what to do. I don't even know what he'd dream a-"

"That," Tony breathes, creeping closer to the light. "I'd bet all my money on it. But… It can't be."

Thor eyes the strange, out-of-place contraption warily. "What is it?"

"I've seen one of those before…" DJ stares, blood running cold. "A long time ago… In Doom's lab."

Bruce wipes his sweaty palms on his pants. "A time machine."

A persistent beeping rings through the air, and that's something _Natasha_ recognizes. "Bomb!"

"Get down!" Clint yells, tackling Natasha to the ground.

DJ panics, trying to tug Steve along by his feet. "He's too heavy! I can't do it alone! Tony, help me!"

Thor rolls one way, and Bruce another. Tony curses under his breath and darts towards the hysteric blonde. "Leave him! You have to leave him for now! He might be able to survive the blast but you and I both know who won't!"

He wraps his arms around her and lifts off towards the sky. There's a jarring _boom_ from below, and the glowing light of the time machine fractures and branches outward in a dozen different beams.


	4. Odd

DJ flutters her eyes open and the first thing she sees is the red of Tony's armor. He shifts and groans and relief floods her chest in the knowledge that she didn't get him killed in her desperation. She turns her head and almost screams at the sight of the too blue eyes staring worriedly down at her. "Steve!"

She picks herself up off the table- A table? Where did a table come from in the jungle?- and throws herself into Steve's arms. He hunches shyly in her embrace and holds his hands away from her like he's afraid he's going to get scolded for touching her. Caught up in her emotions she grips Steve's face roughly in her hands and pulls his mouth down hard against hers.

He kisses back, but it's… Odd. Something's off about it, like he's forgotten all the ways to leave her breathless. DJ pulls away with a frown and it doesn't take her long to realize that he _has_. Or more accurately, he hasn't learned them yet.

She looks him over and sees that old-fashioned military dress uniform that she recognizes from all the old pictures. And behind him are several people staring in shock. People with outdated hair and too much propriety in their postures. A woman. Brunette. Beautiful. Familiar. Glaring.

"_Really_, Steve? Have you _no_ self-control?"

Tony sits up with a **clunk** and the first thing he sees is his father. "Oh shit."

Natasha picks herself up off the floor of the unfamiliar house. It's cold, and the walls are cracking, and the furniture looks too old-fashioned. "Clint," she hisses, trying to wake him up. He doesn't respond so she gives him a gentle kick to the side of the head. "_Clint_!"

"Wha-?" Clint flails and reaches for an arrow, stopping when Natasha's shoe grinds down on his wrist. "Where are we? Where are the others? Are you okay?"

"Don't know." She steps away from him, peering out the window at dark and mostly empty streets. "Something seem off to you?"

Clint stands up surveying the room with a critical eye. "Everything here looks old."

"Does it? Look again."

Everything there looked like it _should_ have been old, but it was surprisingly well preserved. Or relatively new. "Fuck. The time machine. How far back do you think it sent us?"

"Only one way to find out," Natasha nods towards the closed door. "Should we assume we're in the company of civilians, or…?"

Clint pulls the string of his bow back taut as Natasha slowly twists the doorknob. "Better safe than sorry."

They swing the door open and it's just a woman. A woman and a baby. The woman is blonde and delicately featured, but tired and sickly looking. The infant that she clutches tighter against her chest is too small, too red-faced and bleary-eyed.

"Please," she begs in a whisper, an Irish lilt behind her words. "Don't hurt us. Take whatever you want. We don't have much, but I'd rather lose it all than have trouble."

Clint lowers his bow almost guiltily. "We're not here to hurt you. We're lost."

The woman sags in relief, looking for all the world like she couldn't have put up a fight even if she had to. "I'd say. You don't seem to be… From around here, to put it lightly."

Natasha gives her a disarming smile, fingers finally easing away from her concealed weapons. "Where is here, exactly?"

"Brooklyn," she answers without concern as she bounces the quietly whimpering child.

"Ah," Clint mutters, exchanging a look with Natasha. "And this might seem like a bit of a weird question, but, um, what's the date?"

The woman smiles kindly. "February 3rd. Coldest day of the year, so far."

"And the year," Natasha starts hesitantly, not entirely certain she wants to know the answer. "It'd be 1919, wouldn't it?"

"Yes," she answers curiously, hushing the baby as its cries start to grow louder.

Clint swallows thickly, inching forward to steal a better look at the unhappy bundle in her arms. "And if it's not too much to ask, what's your name, ma'am?"

"Sarah. Sarah Rogers. And this is my son, Steven."

Thor lands in the middle of the bar with an angry grunt, floor shaking and threatening to crack under his feet. The patrons barely spared him a look, either too drunk or too used to drunken antics to care. "Where have I been taken?!"

Almost everyone ignores him, and he's about to start hurling Mjölnir when a hand grips his forearm. He turns and is taken aback by the sight. "Captain?"

He's got the eyes, the bone structure, but not the height and muscles that Thor has come to know. The much scrawnier version of Steve snorts and teeters drunkenly. "That's rich. _Captain_. Probably have to quit getting rejected first, and even then…"

"Ah, I am beginning to understand the situation."

Steve all but falls onto the nearest stool. "Well of course. Not a lot of mystery behind guys like me, ya know?" He waves sloppily at the bartender and the empty glass in front of him is quickly refilled. "Not that anyone would be interested in finding out if there were."

"Surely you are wrong!" Thor takes a seat in the stool next to Steve and it creaks dangerously under his weight.

"Are you kidding? Someone as puny as me? The only reason anyone ever looks twice is to poke fun."

"You are wrong in such thoughts!" Thor slams a hand down onto Steve's shoulder, and the smaller man grimaces, sure that there'll be bruises tomorrow. "It is not the size of the body that matters, but the size of the heart!"

Steve snorts and buries his face in his glass. "That's easy for you to say, big guy. Men like you could get any dame you wanted, even if your head was full of rocks and you spent all your time shoving guys like me around. Me? I have to have my pal Bucky set me up on dates, and even then the girls just make eyes at him."

"Cheer up, Steven. I know many tales of your victories later in life."

"Yeah?" Steve perks up, seeing double of the hefty man beside him. He thinks this could be interesting…

Steve politely slips DJ's hands away and gives her a once over, taking in the tight and revealing leather of her uniform. A blush erupts over his cheeks and he leans in to whisper. "Are you a… A prostitute?"

"_Excuse_ me?!" The only thing that keeps her from lashing out and smacking him across the face is the iron arm that locks around her waist. Now all she really wants is to smack the man in said iron suit who is laughing is ass off. "Fuck you, Tony. I'll kick your ass so hard when this is over, I'm not even kidding."

"That's quite a mouth you got on you for a dame." DJ and Tony turn their attention to Howard who's loosening his tie with a lopsided smirk on his face.

DJ flutters her lashes and leers. "You have _no_ idea."

"_Stop it_." Tony swats at her helplessly. "No. Just no. No no no. Off limits. No. Seriously. Oh God. Of all the- No."

She rolls her eyes and sighs, affronted. "I'm just being friendly, Tony."

"Friendly. Right. Sure. Just don't start being the sort of friendly where you show him that tattoo of yours."

Howard cocks an eyebrow and hedges closer to DJ. "Tattoo?"

"Pardon me," Peggy interrupts, dragging Howard back by his shoulder. "But if you and Steve are quite done getting to know our guests, perhaps I can ask them a few questions? Like how they ended up here? Or who they are?"

"I'm Tony… Um, er, Ryder. Tony Ryder."

DJ shoots him a look as if to say _really?_ "And I'm Daisy… Barton."

"Pleasure to meet you Miss Barton," Howard throws her a wink. "I'm Howard Stark, resident genius."

"Honestly, Howard, must you- Just go stand over there, please." Peggy cuts Steve with a glare that screams _that could be you too_. "Mr. Ryder, Ms. Barton, how is it that you came to suddenly appear in the middle of a military facility?"

DJ and Tony exchange a glance and Tony shrugs. "Little mishap with an exploding time machine. Knocked us back about seventy years. No big deal."

"_No big deal_? Tony, don't down play this, it's a very big deal. They might be able to help us! _Howard_ might be able to help us!"

He snorts. "What are we going to do, _Daisy_? Build a new time machine?"

Howard perks up from his exile in the corner. "Why not?"

Clint watches Natasha pace around the room and bounce the baby on her hip. Sarah comes in from the kitchen with a tray of warm tea, flicking her eyes sharply between the two of them. It seems this is where Steve gets at least some of his astuteness.

Sarah takes a seat next to Clint and pins him to the spot with a solemn look. "You know my boy, don't you?"

"Ma'am?"

"Don't play dumb with me," she scolds more like a mother instead of someone who's genuinely angry. "I see the way you too look at my Steven. And I see the way you two are dressed. Hear the way you two carefully run over your words. I'm smarter than I look, you know."

Natasha pauses, lips curling in a smirk. "And that doesn't seem odd to you?"

"Well of course it's _odd_. But I've known my baby would do great things someday, and if his friends are wrapped up in time travel, then it must be true."

"It's very true," Clint smiles, trying not to be completely charmed by this woman. "He's one of the bravest men I know."

Sarah smiles proudly and sends her baby a fond look. "And he's not too sick, is he? I've never been in the greatest health myself, and he's just _so_ small. There have been a lot of close calls already…"

"He's also one of the healthiest men I know," he assures her with private amusement.

"Good, Good… You're not lying to me, are you?"

Clint holds his hands out in a gesture of sincerity. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Sarah scrutinizes him for a brief second before relaxing back into the cushions of the couch, apparently having decided to believe him. "Alright then. Tell me more."


	5. Promises, Promises

"So that Ryder fella, you his girl?"

DJ tears her eyes away from where Steve is drooling over Peggy, arching an eyebrow at Howard. "I'm nobody's girl, thank you. Certainly not Tony's."

"An independent woman," he grins slow and lascivious. "I like that."

"I bet you do. But this independent woman is so entirely off limits to you and your irresistibly smoldering eyes." She kicks her feet up on the messy lab table and waves him off. "Go fiddle some more with Tony. I'd like to get back to my century before I turn eighty, please."

He taps the end of her boot with his wrench and throws her a wink. "You're odd, you know that?"

"Howard, I materialized out of a time machine three days ago and you've _just_ come to this conclusion? Also, you don't know the half of it."

* * *

"Enough about his glory," Sarah complains with a smile. "Tell me about his life. Is he married, yet? Got a family?"

Natasha laughs softly, shaking her head. "He's not married, no. But some might consider us his nontraditional family."

"I do hope he's not neglecting his personal life because of all this world saving," she sighs. "Not that saving the world isn't important, but you have to have someone to come home to, to make it worthwhile."

"He's sorta seeing- er, courting?- someone," Clint shrugged, ignoring Natasha's eye roll. "They're madly in love and all that."

Sarah's eyes light up as she shifts the baby in her arms. "Oh? Tell me about this woman. Is she nice?"

"Well… She's… DJ."

* * *

"And you are in relations with one of the fairest maidens of the land!"

Steve lifts his head off of the bar, smile lopsided and cheeks rosy. "Yeah? What's she look like?"

"Her skin is the purest, softest snow white and her hair falls in long curls of glimmering gold. She looks at you with eyes hazel and warm, and presses her ample bosom-"

"Hey now," Steve cuts him off, slurring and flushing even further. "No need to talk about my future girl's… _bosom_ that way."

Thor frowns, clapping a hand on Steve's back and nearly knocking him to the floor. "I meant no disrespect. You make no secret of your admiration of her assets. You often stare longingly-"

"Oh geeze."

"-Which often leads to many private couplings if what I hear through the walls is any indication. Do not be embarrassed, Steven! Your loud passions are something to cherish!"

* * *

"Where do you think the others are?" DJ asks as Tony collapses in a chair for a break.

Tony shrugs, not bothering to meet her eyes. "No way of knowing. Maybe they're still in the present. The fractures could have missed them completely."

"I'm worried about Steve," she confides. "This is _his_ nightmare. What if it took him back to the ice?"

"Then we'll get this machine up and running and go find him."

"There's no guarantee that this'll work." They both jump at the sound of Howard's voice. "No matter how hard we try, you have to be prepared just in case."

DJ stalks over to him with a glare. "How much did you hear?"

"Just the tail end, Sweetheart." He rests his hand low on her back, edging her towards the door. "Put that glare away, you're nearly as terrifying as Agent Carter."

Roughly grabbing his tie, DJ jerks him closer to level him with a murderous look. "Compare me to her again and you'll find out just how terrifying I can be, and trust me, I would win."

Howard tips his head closer and the only thing that keeps their lips from brushing is the hand that DJ quickly raises. "Don't be that way. You know I've got you dizzy."

"I've been rejecting you for a _week_, Howard, what gives you any idea that I'd want to kiss you?"

"That pretty pink on those cheeks of yours whenever I get too close." He smiles and suddenly DJ's figured out why Pepper forgives Tony everything.

She pushes him away a bit too forcefully. "Key phrase: _too close_."

"Play hard to get all you want, Doll! I know when a woman's crazy over me." His eyes rake over her as she storms off, and he gets one last word in before she rounds the corner. "Like I said, you gotta be prepared if you can't get back. My arms are wide open."

She pauses, fighting the painful twist in her gut at the thought. "Not getting back isn't an option."

* * *

"They keep each other in check," Clint explains, digging around in his pockets. "Make sure each other don't put too much on the line. They're both stubborn and self-sacrificing, so they need that balance."

"They make each other better," Natasha agrees. "And that's something, because Steve already started out as the best."

"Here it is," Clint pulls the photo out from where it was tucked in his boot. "There you go. That's her."

Natasha cocks a perfectly shaped brow. "And why do you have a picture of her on hand?"

"I have a picture of all of you," he shrugs. "Never know who's gonna play with my mind next. Good idea to at least try to remember whose side I'm on."

Sarah runs an admiring finger over the photograph. "So lovely. And this picture! It's so clear! And in color!"

"Er…"

* * *

"Peggy sent me to get you to sign this," Steve slides the papers across the desk and fidgets with the cuffs of his sleeves.

DJ bats her lashes and flashes him a coy smile. "You mean you wouldn't come see me unless you were told to?"

"I… Well, I don't… I mean…"

"Don't get flustered on my account," she teases. "But… I know I'm not from this time, and I could have to leave any minute those two figure out the machine, but, I don't know, do you maybe want to go do something sometime?"

Steve's hand comes up to rub nervously at the back of his neck, and he quickly darts his eyes away. "I- You're a beautiful dame, really. And Howard says your real sharp and all, but- I mean, no thanks, ma'am."

"It's because of Peggy, right?" It's so soft he almost doesn't hear it. "That's the only reason?"

He clears his throat, giving the papers a nudge. "Non-disclosure forms. I'll come back for them."

Howard brushes his shoulder coming in as Steve makes a hasty exit. "Every time I see you two together you have him running for the door."

"Go fuck yourself, Howard. Not in the mood for your assholery." She glares at the paper as she quickly scribbles her name on the dotted line.

"You're the only one who ever talks to me that way, you know. I find it unsettlingly attractive." His breath is warm down the back of her neck and she tries to hold back a shiver. "Ah."

"Ah? Ah what? What is this ah supposed to mean?"

Howard taps the bottom of the page. "So you _are_ sweet on Tony."

"What are- Oh." She glances down at her signature and immediately realizes her mistake. "No. I was just distracted, um. It's not-"

"_Oh_. Oh." Howard's eyes are suddenly darting around the room too fast, brain whirring and calculating and figuring. "Oh…"

DJ huffs, scribbling out her name to start again. "What is with all these monosyllabic answers? I don't- Wait a minute! No! Whatever you're thinking, no! Stop!"

"I get it now." He takes a step back, fingers patting an anxious rhythm against his thigh. "It makes a lot more sense this way. Tony, he's… How did you not think I wouldn't figure it out? Another genius as devilishly handsome as me pops out of nowhere, and what, it's just a coincidence? Aw, hell, I've been making eyes at my son's girl this entire time. No wonder he kept turning into a green rage monster."

"Green rage monst- No. You have no idea. Bad metaphor. And I told you, I am _so_ not his girl. Tony has a girl. Most days. A woman. A, um, a Pepper. That's not important. But yes. You're right about the other thing. The son thing. So yeah."

Howard nods, surprisingly okay with it. "So he stole your name because he's a Stark… Then where did Barton come from?"

"Oh, he's just a guy I know in the future. The present. My now. Your later." She carefully rewrites her name, taking extra care with her alias.

"Are you _his_ girl?"

DJ growls and tosses her pen at Howard, hitting him in the chest. "God damn it I am no one's girl! Not that it would be any of your business because I don't intend to be yours, either!"

"I wasn't asking you to be," he smirks, sidling in closer.

"Right, of course not, silly me." She sinks back into the chair in defeat, ignoring the way that Howard's legs brushed up against hers. "There's just the heated looks, and the too friendly touching, and the constant interrogation over whether or-"

Howard's hand are warm and rough against her cheeks, and while it catches her off guard, the way his lips press against hers is soft and sweet. It's nothing like she would've thought it'd be, not that she _did_ think about it. But he kissed her like there was nowhere else he'd rather be, like there wasn't a string of women before her or after her.

She forgets that she's not supposed to kiss back.

"It's been two weeks and me and Tony haven't made any progress." His mouth brushes lightly against hers as he speaks solemn and low. "Maybe it's time you've honestly considered settling in."

* * *

"Wow," Steve hums, half-unconscious at this point. "She sounds like a real catch. Beautiful and sharp and brave. I must really look different then."

Thor frowns, sliding the glass away from Steve. "You are not wrong, friend, but I should not think she would love you any less if you were to look as you do now."

"And what would she want with me like this? I wouldn't be attractive to her, she'd be laughed out of town, I wouldn't be able to protect her…"

A bellowing laugh rumbles from Thor's stomach, startling several drunks in the corner. "I would like to see what she would say to you at the notion you might have to protect her. She is quite capable, I assure you. And anyone can see that it is what is inside of you that she loves so deeply. Your goodness and warmth and righteousness. She truly would give you anything, Steven. She has even given her life at one point. And then something even more precious."

"What's more precious than her life?" Steve furrows his brow.

"You."

Steve huffs a humorless laugh. "That just sounds like she broke up with me. Figures."

"You misunderstand the situation, as you do even in my present. Her feelings for you have not lessened, but she has given you up as she feels your love for her has compromised who you are. She misunderstands as well. It is a great tragedy to have two so deeply in love be so wholly torn apart. But I have faith that all will be mended in time."

Steve staggers as he stands, using the bar as support. "When you get back could you maybe tell her something for me? Tell her that… That… I haven't even met her yet and I love her, so I must love her then. Can you do that?"

"Of course, my friend. I will be sure to."

* * *

The day that the plane goes down DJ lies in bed on her side, sheets pulled up to her armpits, watching Howard blow smoke rings towards the ceiling. They both ignore the bruises left on each other's skin and the tracks of tears left behind on their cheeks.

"We could've figured something out," Howard mutters, haunted eyes staring off into nothing. "Stubborn lug, leavin' us like that."

DJ's fingers dig into the mattress and she bites her lip so hard it bleeds. "He's not dead." She shouldn't tell him, but she needs the reassurance just as much as he does. "He's out there somewhere in the ocean. Frozen. Someone'll eventually find him. He wakes up just fine."

"You know him, then." His voice is flat, unsurprised. "Should've known. So he's your fella then, in the future."

She opens her mouth to say something along the lines of _getting real tired of your bullshit_, but all that comes out is, "Not anymore."

"But you still want him to be. The way you always watch- _watched_- after him, glaring after Carter. You're head over heels." He laughs short and bitter and just the tiniest bit mean. "And he didn't look at you twice. What a kicker. You just stand by and let 'im go nuts after another dame? Why? For what?"

Her fingers go slack on the mattress before they rip a hole, and her chest goes numb. Cold like she's been plunged in ice right alongside Steve. "Because even in the future, even when he opens his eyes and sees me, she's still so important to him. I would never take that away from him, no matter what it does to me."

"If you love him so much, why aren't you still with him in that future of yours?"

"Loving someone… It doesn't mean there's not something you're standing in the way of. And as much as he used to love me- and I believe he did, I really do- what he needed, what he had left after everything, was the world and his ability to save it." A painful lump swells in the back of her throat. "If he had to choose between us it would kill him."

Howard stubs out his cigarette and twists to face her. "Why would he have to choose? Wouldn't you just be part of that world he's saving?"

"He'd have to choose because I'm out there fighting alongside him." She waves her fingers and the bed eases off the floor, rotating slowly. "Surprise."

"I'll be damned," Howard breathes, sitting up in wonder. "Any more surprises?"

DJ laughs short and bitter and just the tiniest bit broken. "I'm pregnant."

"Now I know it doesn't work that fast," he scrambles away when the bed clunks softly against the floor. "So I can assume it's not mine. Maybe it's something you should've mentioned before the roll in the hay."

"Maybe it's something I should've mentioned before some cunty little dream weaver sent me seventy years into the past."

* * *

"I don't know how long you'll be here," Sarah speaks lowly, trying not to wake the baby that's just drifted off to sleep. "But you can stay for the night, if you'd like."

"Thank you," Natasha nods, smiling warmly.

Sarah hesitates as she stands to put Steve away in his crib. "I'd like to ask you a favor or two, though, if you don't mind."

"Of course," Clint agrees, and he finds himself meaning it. Who is he to deny Captain America's kind, generous, and sick mother anything?

"If my boy turns out to be anything like his father, he'll be as stubborn as a mule and oblivious as all get out when it comes to where he stands with people. Make sure he gets by okay. Don't let him do anything stupid." She kisses the top of her baby's head, eyes growing watery. "And tell him I'm so _very_ proud of him."

* * *

"I tried to warn you," Tony muttered, startling DJ out of her slow descent into abysmal depression.

She blinks, pulling her brain out of that dark place that it likes to go. "Oh, so you're talking to me again, now?"

"I figured you've probably suffered enough, being shunned by both Starks for a good handful of days." He puts down his screwdriver and turns to face her. "I told you to stay away from him. He never treated me right, he never treated my mother right, and there was no reason for him to treat you right."

"So you're upset that he ditched me when the going got serious, not that one of your closest friends fucked your dad?"

Tony rolls his eyes and perches on the arm of her chair. "Well no, I'm not exactly pleased about that either. Kind of skeevy. Rather not think of it that way. But us Starks have charm and you had to live through your baby daddy sort of dying. Might as well be _your_ nightmare instead of Cap's. Who am I to begrudge anyone some good pain management?"

Relief floods through DJ's body like a drug as she lets her head fall onto Tony's shoulder. She wouldn't have been able to go on without him any longer. The relief is short-lived as a look around the workshop reminds her of their current situation. "What if we can't get back, Tony? What if we're stuck here? It's one thing for a super soldier to acclimate to the future, but a girl like me can never fit in the past. I know too much, I'm too different. I'm just a mouthy pregnant whore here. No one will ever look twice at me, except to stick their noses up in disapproval. I'll just shrivel up and die alone."

"No you won't." Tony wraps his arms around her, holding on a fraction too tight. "I wouldn't let that happen. I'd know too much and be a slut right alongside you. And I'd raise that bright-eyed blonde baby like it was my own."

"We would have a really fucked up kid." When she smiles it's the first real emotion she's felt in a good while.

Tony laughs, giving her one last squeeze before letting go. "I prefer quirky."

Howard bursts into the workshop then, eyes bloodshot and clothes disheveled. "I think I've figured it out!"


	6. Less Than Good

Tony and DJ stand in the center of the machine exchanging nervous glances. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Tony's fingers ghost over the wires, as if he's willing it to work. "There's no way to test this, so there's no way to know what could go wrong. I don't know what it could end up doing to the baby."

"I understand, Tony, and I'm honestly scared as hell, but there's not really another option for me. I would go crazy knowing he's out there somewhere and I couldn't help him. And as much as I appreciate what you said you would do, you still have a Pepper to get back to, and we have to think about the others. It'd be selfish not to try."

He hesitates, scrutinizing her face for something he clearly doesn't find. "Alright."

"Ready?" Howard calls from across the room, fiddling with the controls.

"I have never been more ready for anything in my entire life." Howard meets DJ's eyes and they share a dark look.

Breaking the gaze Howard turns a dial and speaks just loud enough to be heard. "I make a habit of never apologizing, but I can acknowledge that you're a hell of a dame, and I might've liked it if you stayed. Good luck you two. Goodbye, Daisy."

There's a blinding flash of light and a fizzling tingle that washes over their skin. A sound like the crack of a whip, and they're gone.

* * *

They hit the ground with a thud, rocks digging into their backs and the sun blazing in their eyes.

"It worked," DJ breathes, dissolving into giggles. "It worked!"

"A little too well, I think." Tony and DJ whip around, finding Howard sprawled out on the jungle floor. "Apparently the parameter extended a bit farther than we thought."

Tony sighs hanging his head. "This is bad. Very bad."

"It's not _that_ bad," DJ offers, earning herself a glare. "I mean, it's less than good, but obviously we figure out a way to get him back, right? Or else you wouldn't be here, Tony."

"I don't know, this isn't Back to the Future. If standard logic applies, yeah, I guess so. But when has standard logic _ever_ applied?"

DJ shrugs, stopping short when she sees another body prone among the foliage. "Steve!" She darts over, falling to her knees beside him. "Why is he still here? I don't understand. Steve, wake up!"

"Everyone's still here." Tony's voice is incredulous as he spins in a slow circle, taking in the limp bodies. "Natasha and Clint. Thor. Bruce. They're all asleep. It's like… Copies. Or projections. Our consciousness was back in time, but our bodies were here."

"Then we found a way out and we woke up… But if we weren't really there, how do I still have bruises? And your fingers, they're still cut from working on the machine."

Tony sags against a tree, too exhausted to be safe. "I guess whatever we bring back with us- injuries and all- becomes real. Which means we're stuck with a very real carbon copy of my father, and there's no guarantee we get him back, because we weren't in real history!"

"Don't sound so put off about it," Howard drawls, pushing up onto his feet. "What do we do now? Just wake these guys up?"

"I have no idea," Tony snaps. "I forgot to read up on astral projection and other Nightmare on Elm Street bullshit."

DJ swipes a lock of hair out of Steve's face, looking over her shoulder at the two squabbling men. "You already made that joke- you _must_ be upset. Maybe… Well, in theory, it's Steve's dream, right? So if we could wake him up, the others would wake up too."

"Great. Good plan. But the whole yelling in his face and shaking him thing hasn't worked, so how do you plan on waking him up?"

She rolls her eyes and turns back to Steve. "Two geniuses standing side-by-side and I still have to do all the work." She frames his face in her hands, closing her eyes and concentrating.

"What are you doing?" Tony whispers, crouching at her side. "Willing it to be?"

"Dumbass," she snorts. "I can do this thing, it's like… Well I kind of make his atoms vibrate. It's this tingly humming. A jolt."

Tony arches a brow. "How come I've never heard of this before?"

"It's a very private power."

"What do you mean a- Oh. _Ew_." Tony scrunches up his face and scoots away. "You're waking him up with weird sex tricks."

Steve gasps, arching his back before bolting upright. "Daisy?"

"Well hey there, Captain," she grins running a hand over his arm. "You had me worried you were going to take another seventy year cat nap."

"Where are the others?" He asks, grabbing her shoulders.

"They're fine," she reassures him. "They're waking up. We're all okay."

It's Natasha first, who jerks and exhales sharply. Then Clint who's only half a second behind. Thor convulses and sits up with an agitated snarl. Finally Bruce groans and curls up in the fetal position, hugging his legs and shivering violently.

Tony crawls over to help Bruce up, but quickly withdraws his hands when he finds skin as cold as death. "Shit. What happened to you, Banner?"

"I w-was… p-plane… i-ice…"

Natasha kneels beside him, fingers feeling for his pulse. "Who went down with the plane? You or the other guy?"

"H-hulk."

Clint whistles low, rocking on his heels. "Not to be the asshole here, but if it were anyone else- with the exception of Cap, obviously, and maybe Thor- they wouldn't have made it."

"H-how lucky," Bruce deadpans even through his chattering teeth.

"In the loosest sense of the word, yeah." Tony shrugs and sits back on his haunches. "Any one of us could've ended up in the middle of a Nazi brawl. It was sheer chance that one of us isn't dead right now."

DJ frowns and turns her attention back to Steve. "But… If Bruce was in the ice, where were you? What could possibly be more terrifying than the thing that made you lose seventy years of your life?"

"I was here," Steve murmurs quietly, unable to meet anyone's eyes. "I didn't go anywhere. I was here and I was alone."

Her heart breaks on his behalf, and it takes everything she's got not to scoop him up into a hug. "That's so like you, you stupid, beautiful man. You're not scared of the one thing that came closest to killing you, but of losing more people to time."

"Not to interrupt this touching moment," Howard cuts in not sounding remotely sorry whatsoever. "But where exactly does this leave me?"

_That_ gets Steve's attention. "Howard?!"

"Hey there, pal." The haunted look that's been stuck on his features the past few days slips away, replaced with fondness. "Seems I hitched a ride with our gal Daisy here."

Steve's eyes snap to the blonde, narrowing. "You let him call you Daisy?"

"Jesus Christ, Steve," she sighs, standing up and padding away. "Can we not do this right now?"

"This? What this? I didn't know there was a _this_ to do."

DJ rolls her eyes and refuses to play into this scenario. "For the oldest guy around, Steve, you can really be a childish asshole sometimes. In case you forgot, we're just co-workers now. Not even really friends anymore. Who I sleep with is none of your business."

"It is when it's Howard Stark!"

"To be fair," Clint interjects. "You did hop into the sack with one of his dead best friends pretty fast."

She blinks a little stunned. "Fast… Excuse me?"

"Aye," Thor nods. "I concede this point. It was but a mere handful of hours. I too would feel betrayed if-"

"_Hours_?!" DJ flushes with an emotion she can't quite place, but it's not exactly pleasant. "You were in when the fuck ever for _hours_?"

Natasha cocks her head curiously. "Yes. Three, four tops."

"We were there for just over a _month_." The words drop from her lips like lead. "I was going damn near crazy thinking I would have to stay there forever, and you were displaced for _hours_?"

Steve huffs, red coloring high on his cheeks. "Okay, so you were lonely and scared, _that_ I can understand. But _Howard_? Could you not have picked _anyone_ else?"

"Well isn't that the biggest fucking irony of all," she rounds on him, eyes blazing. "You have no idea what you're talking about, so just go back to your government-issue girlfriend and leave me the hell alone."

DJ stomps off through the trees and Tony gives a long suffering sigh. "You'd think after what happened last time she'd learn not to go off on her own. Who's going to play baby-sitter this time?"

"I shall retrieve her," Thor volunteers somberly. "I have a message to relay as well, and it is best to be done in private."

It's not until Thor disappears from sight that Tony snaps a glare at Steve. "You're a dick."

"_Me_?"

"Yes, you! She had to live through your disappearing act, you know. She had to sit by the sidelines and let you go, and that's _after_ powering through all the times you looked right through her at your wartime whirlwind!"

"It was only the once," Howard pipes up. "If that helps."

Tony turns his displeasure on his pseudo-dad. "We don't need commentary from you, thanks. I think you've done enough."

When Thor catches up to DJ he's surprised to find her crying. "It is a rare sight to see you so undone."

She sniffles and wipes at her eyes. "Yeah, well, I'm a little emotional lately."

"Do not let the Captain's words harm you," Thor speaks kindly as he curls up on the ground next to her. "He speaks not out of judgment, but jealousy. It is a testament to his lingering feelings."

"I'm pretty sure the only thing Steve feels for me anymore is exasperation," she laughs humorlessly.

Thor wraps a strong arm around her shoulders and pulls her against his side. "You are misinformed then, and blinded by your insecurities. The love that is alight in both of your eyes is pure and strong, however there are such unneeded barriers hindering your union."

"I don't think you know the half of it, buddy."

"I know plenty," he replies sagely. "I am often underestimated because of my peculiar ways. I see quite a lot, and it is not always those who listen that gain knowledge, but those who are not afraid to ask."

DJ arches a skeptical brow. "Oh?"

"Indeed. I appeared at Steven's side in a time where he had not yet come into his strength. He was plagued by melancholy, and so I told him tales of your fine qualities. They were abridged, for explaining you completely would take some time, and yet he was quite enamored."

She snorts. "Yeah, I imagine. You probably described my 'ample bosom.'"

"Briefly," Thor concedes. "But that is not what made him declare his love."

"What?"

Thor grins, squeezing her tighter still. "I was instructed by this past Steven to tell you that even though he has not yet met you, his is indeed in love with you, and so it must be certain that the Steven of now feels the same."

"But that's… He wasn't _real_ Thor. Not really. And it's just… That's just something you say, you know? It's not something he could know."

"If you insist." He doesn't look convinced, but there's not much anyone can really ever say to change his mind, anyway. "Though I do have one question on the subject, if you do not mind."

"Shoot."

"You are with child, are you not?"

DJ goes rigid in his embrace. "Fucking hell. Does _everybod_y know?"

"Steven does not, of course. And I do not believe that Banner has commented on the matter." Thor lets her go, sensing her discomfort. "Do not be ashamed. It is a gift, and you will bear a most beautiful child."

"Thanks, I think."

"Of course," he beams standing up. "I shall do my best to keep you out of harm's way. Come with me back to the others now, before more trouble finds us."


	7. Forget Me Not

The sun is high in the sky and the air around them crackles with heat. Tony hovers close by DJ's side, while Thor walks ahead clearing a path for her, and Natasha and Clint trail a couple steps behind watching her like, well, hawks. Steve was busy glaring at Howard, so he barely even noticed DJ's odd entourage.

The only one she didn't feel like tearing into was Bruce.

"Are you okay?" Tony asks as he grabs her hand to help her over a stump.

"Well I'd be a lot better if I wasn't wearing leather when it feels like a hundred degrees out. Or if half of us weren't already starting to feel dehydrated. Or if I wasn't being treated like the Queen of England by the same people who witnessed me nearly eviscerate the greater New York area."

A pebble thunks against the back of her head and she whirls around to glare at Clint. "Wouldn't do that to the Queen of England. Just trying to make you feel more comfortable."

DJ waves a hand and a boulder rises out of the ground. "Don't mess with a hormonal woman who can throw bigger rocks than you."

"Love you too," Clint smirks stepping around the rock to ruffle her hair. "Don't over-exert yourself." He bounds forward three steps before falling right through the forest floor.

They crowd around the hole, toeing the soft dirt with caution, as Natasha edges a bit too close to peer down. "You still conscious down there?"

"For the moment," he grunts, shifting to get the weight off his leg. "I landed pretty hard on my ankle. Might be broken, might only be a sprain."

Steve frowns and glances around the jungle for any other visible weak spots. "It looks like someone was getting tired of waiting for us to get worn out the old-fashioned way."

"If he can kill us while we're awake, why does he want to do it so badly while we're asleep?" DJ huffs as Tony gently maneuvers her out of the way so that he can fly down and scoop Clint up in his metal arms.

"Maybe fear feeds his power," Bruce offers. "Or maybe he's just insane. Too little information in his file to tell."

"That's an understatement," Clint remarks wryly as Tony makes a neat landing on even ground. "The only information we _do_ have on him is that the last island he was on no longer exists, and the last Agents to go on recon aren't exactly as sane as they started out."

Howard's lips twist to the side in disapproval. "Kinda irresponsible to send you guys out without knowing what you're getting in to."

"Says the man who juiced up Steve here while only knowing the wrong side of what he was getting in to." Tony helps Bruce get Clint's boot off, and grimaces at the angry red, swollen, misshapen ankle.

"Definitely broken," Bruce murmurs. "I can try to set it, but it's going to hurt."

The next thing Clint remembers is very little.

He blinks up at round hazel eyes. "Who're you?"

"What do you mean _who am I_?" DJ tilts her head and feels his forehead with the back of her hand to check for a fever. "Barton, are you- Who is who?"

"You."

"Me what?"

Tony crosses his arms impatiently. "Is the stupid spreading, or what?"

They both turn on Tony. "Who are _you_?"

"I think we have a problem," Steve sighs, placing a hand on DJ's shoulder to keep her near.

"I told him it was going to hurt," Bruce says shaking his head. "He gets hurt all the time! I didn't think it'd make him faint!"

"Who fainted?" Steve blinks, shuffling closer to DJ as a sense of unease creeps up on him at the sight of the unfamiliar surroundings. "Did I faint? Where am I?"

Natasha draws a gun in each hand and aims it at the general group. "The next person to touch anybody gets shot in the foot. There's something passing between us, it's making us lose our memories. We're nearly half down, and that's too much of a liability as it is. We-"

Clint tackles Natasha to the ground, crying out in pain as they land in a heap. "Fuck! My ankle! Why does it hurt so bad?!"

"Get off me!" Natasha barks. "Get off or I'll… Shoot I guess. Why am I armed? Are you dangerous?"

"Are _you_ dangerous?" DJ counters. "Why are we wearing leather? Are we a couple dominatrices lost in the woods?"

Steve scratches his head in thought, gaze dancing languidly over Natasha and DJ. "You're both very beautiful, but I don't think I'd hang out with sex workers."

"Maybe you're their pimp," Clint offers.

"What would that make you?" Natasha asks dryly, barely concealing a smirk.

"Well, I don't know, I-" Clint suddenly has a bow in hand, string taut, aimed at Thor who has crept forward a few steps. "Hey! I don't know you. Step back, man."

Thor holds his palms out in a placating gesture. "I am merely trying to aid you, friend."

"He said _step back_!" DJ raises a hand and Thor goes flying in to Natasha, and Tony and Bruce don't think twice before latching on to her to make her stop.

"Release me!" Thor growls tossing Natasha aside.

Tony, baffled and clueless and totally lost, catches the redhead before she collides head first into a tree. "Careful with the- Why am I wearing a metal suit? Why am I in the jungle? Why are there so many attractive people staring vacantly at me right now?"

"Aw Hell," Howard huffs, carding his fingers through his hair. "It's great still having all my mental facilities and all, but I could really use a hand here. I'm kinda outta my element."

"Who are you?" Thor loudly-even for him- demands. "And what is it that you want with me? With us?"

"I-"

Howard stops short when Natasha's gun is suddenly trained on him. "You're the only one here who knows who you are, right?" Everyone shares an uneasy glance, nodding in confirmation. "So what did you do? Why did you bring us here?"

"Look, I think you've got the wrong idea here. I didn't do any of this." Howard backs up until he's trapped against a tree. "I don't know what happened, but-"

"Bullshit!" Tony exclaims. "He's lying. I can just tell. Look at him. Look at that facial hair. That is a pretty sinister moustache."

DJ furrows her brow, eyes darting between the two. "Have you seen _your_ facial hair? In fact… I think you two might be brothers."

"He's probably my evil twin!" Tony exclaims dramatically, waving his arms violently enough that he nearly knocks Bruce over.

"I don't trust him," Natasha agrees. "Tie him up."

"Who made you the boss?" Clint complains from the ground where he's cradling his broken ankle.

Natasha shrugs, unaffected. "I have the guns, don't I?"

"I have the glamorous metal suit," Tony reasons.

"I can apparently move shit by waving my hands," DJ argues, and yeah, they all kind of see her point. "Find something to tie him up with."

* * *

DJ glances at Steve out of the corner of her eye, shifting a half step away. "Why do you keep standing so close? Do you have boundary issues or something?"

"I- Sorry," Steve flushes. "I don't know. You just seem familiar. I look at you and there are these flashes of memory."

"Really?" She turns her back on Howard, struggling and restrained, suddenly intrigued. "What kind of memories?"

Steve rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, averting his gaze. "Mostly skin…"

"Oh. _Oh_. Oh my God, we're totally fucking!" She exclaims, drawing the stares of the others. "That's awesome! I mean, because I know somebody. It's also awesome because you're super hot, but… Yeah."

"That's interesting," Clint starts narrowing his eyes. "Because I just found this picture of you in my boot, and I kind of assumed that meant something."

DJ's eyebrows arch up towards her hairline and she flounders for words. "Listen… What did I call you earlier? Bart? Listen Bart, we don't know anything for sure right now. We don't even know our names. So there's no point in getting upset if there's a chance we're wrong. Maybe the Patriot over here is one of your best buddies who just so happens to be banging your girlfriend behind your back, but maybe not! Let's just wait it out and see, huh?"

"Well you're obviously doing _someone_," Tony points out. "If that massive hickey on your neck is anything to go by."

"Thanks for the input, Mr. Roboto."

Bruce hums and readjusts the glasses on his face. "Interesting how we still remember pop culture, but we can't remember who we are. It's like those memories in particular were targeted."

"Maybe we all went on a drunken bender and now we're all suffering the eerily similar consequences?" Clint suggests with a shrug.

"I don't feel hung-over," Natasha shoots him down as she discovers yet another weapon hidden away on her body. "But I could certainly use a drink."

Thor plops down beside her, face grim. "I, too, would not pass up some mead at the moment."

"_Mead_?" Tony parrots incredulously. "What are you, a Viking?"

"For all we know, we're _all_ Vikings." Natasha reasoned. "Hey Glasses, continue. What were you saying before?"

Bruce blinks, flustered by the acknowledgement. "Well, it's just the area of forgotten memories is so specific. It had to have been a purposeful memory swipe, but there's no technology capable of that sort of thing."

"Magic!" Thor booms.

"As hesitant as I am to accept it, probably." Bruce wipes his sweaty palms on the thighs of his pants. "And the situation is very… Calculated. It seems as though it was set up to put us on edge, create tension between us. It seems like, maybe, it was done by someone who knows us."

All eyes snap to Howard.

"I really thought we were just being paranoid," DJ admits. "But if Moustache is the one to blame, then I want to know. Maybe we can get him to reverse it."

Natasha approaches cautiously and jerks Clint's dirty sock out of Howard's mouth.

"Don't turn those suspicious eyes on me, Red," Howard drawls, listing to the side with his hands tied behind his back. "I don't remember anything either. Coulda been any one of us."

"He's not wrong," Tony agrees. "How do we know it wasn't Goldilocks? She _is_ the one who can move things with the power of the mind. She could be a witch or something."

DJ crosses her arms, affronted. "If I _were_ a witch, I'd certainly be good enough not to wipe my memories in the process. Why couldn't it be you? You're like ninety percent robot. Maybe you _created_ the technology to do this."

"Maybe it was the Patriot," Clint glares accusingly. "Maybe he wanted to wipe my memory so he could steal my girlfriend."

"Maybe it was you, Bart," Steve counters indignantly. "Maybe you got jealous that your girl left you for me, so you thought you'd wipe the slate clean and take her back for yourself."

Natasha draws her guns back out of their holsters and raises them defensively. "Glasses seemed to be pretty well informed on the situation. And Viking appears to be well versed in magic."

"You're throwing around a lot of blame, Red," Tony remarks, raising one of his gauntlets palm out.

There's a shuffle from the ground and Clint has an arrow aimed at Tony's jugular. "Point that firepower somewhere else, Roboto."

"What, are you two paired up now?"

"We have the same symbol on our clothes," Clint shrugs. "Gotta mean something, right?"

Thor picks up his hammer, twirling it with skill. "The forging of alliances fills me with unease."

"Watch where you swing that thing, big guy," Steve warns brandishing his shield in front of him and DJ. "I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"How noble," DJ comments dryly, lifting up all the larger rocks in the perimeter with a jerk of her head. "I'm more concerned with staying alive than the safety of others."

Clint sends DJ a wounded look. "You're really gonna stand by that guy? The _Patriot_?"

"Get off your high horse, Bart, you moved on pretty quick yourself," she nods over at Natasha. "Nothing personal dear. He makes me feel safe."

"Alright," Natasha interjects. "Whoever did this has three hours to come forward, or else I'll work my way through all of you until I get my answers. Stay out of my way 'til then, or you're going to get hurt."

They wait a beat, and share a look, then dart off in separate directions.


	8. Loopholes

So apparently the last chapter bred a lot of confusion somehow, so here's the companion chapter to that to clear some things up. Just so everyone knows, the memory loss was kick started by Clint passing out, because it ties in with one of his worst nightmares, so there's that... If at the end of this anyone still has questions I'll try to address those.

* * *

DJ moves slowly and quietly through the greenery, keeping a sharp eye out for the others. There was obviously an unsavory reason for this memory loss, and until then she could assume she was in danger. Everyone was a suspect. Even herself.

A large hand wraps around her wrist, and she'd have cried out if another hand hadn't shot up to her mouth. "Shh, it's just me." And despite everything running through her brain, the sight of those earnest blue eyes puts her right at ease.

"Patriot? What are you doing? Did you _follow_ me?" Steve looks marginally guilty and DJ takes that as her answer. "It's not safe. We can't trust each other, and it's harder to hide when there's two of us."

Steve laces his fingers through hers and cradles their hands against his chest. "It hurts. When I look at you it hurts. It's like my body remembers you but my mind doesn't. I want to know if you feel it too."

"So you're risking our lives because what? Because the sight of me gives you indigestion?"

"You know it's more than that," Steve argues, jerking her closer so that their lower bodies are flush together. "It starts out as this dull ache, and then I'll get a glimpse of your laugh, or catch a whiff of lavender, or remember the way your hair tangles around my fingers, and it's like I'm having open heart surgery without anesthesia."

DJ fights the urge to melt against him. "That doesn't sound very pleasant at all."

"It's not. But it doesn't feel new. It feels like you've been breaking my heart for a very long time. I don't think it's out of line for me to wonder where you stand."

"I don't feel the same way," she whispers, and she sees the way it tears him apart at the seams. "It's completely different for me. It's this resigned exhaustion, and constant terror, and heavy knot of longing. You make me feel safe and happy and… Wrong, all at once."

"Wrong?" The word tastes bitter and stale in his mouth. "Wrong how?"

She sighs and slips her fingers out of his. "Like there are a million and one very good reasons why we shouldn't be together, and when I can remember them I will fall apart."

"Then maybe it's a blessing to forget."

There's an earth rumbling roar in the near distance, and then a dart of red in the sky. Tony crashes to the ground beside them, faceplate raised and eyes wild. "For the record: Glasses? There's something off about him. Something giant, green, and angry."

A cluster of trees split and scatter across the ground, and at the center of the destruction is the Hulk. He bellows, stomping forward towards the three of them with sharp, angry eyes. Angry eyes not entirely devoid of recognition.

"What happened?" DJ asked, ignoring the insistent tug of Steve's renewed grip on her hand. "He couldn't have just randomly exploded into a huge mass of scary."

"Does it matter, Goldilocks?" Steve pulls her back against him with startling ease. "We have to get out of here. It's coming right at us, there's no way we can go against that thing."

She presses her palms against his chest, frowning at his considerable strength. "Of course it matters. And he's not a thing. He was a man just a couple of minutes ago! I might not trust anybody, but I don't want anybody to get hurt, either. At least not until we know for sure who's on who's side. I don't know about you, but when I looked at Red I got the feeling she wouldn't hesitate to take any one of us down if we posed any sort of threat. We can't just let him paint a huge target on his back."

"We… We were fighting," Tony forces his way back into the conversation. "We were fighting over who we could trust and then he said, 'You might want to back off, because I have the strangest feeling you won't like me when I'm angry.' And then that."

"See! It's not him! He doesn't know what he's doing." DJ slides her hands up to rest on his cheeks. "And you want to help. I can tell. Look at you, you're like Captain- Oh fuck."

Tony balks, lips pursing in confusion. "Captain Oh Fuck?"

"No you fucking idiot! Captain America!"

"Oh shit!"

Steve blinks, face blank. "Who?"

"Fucking pop culture loophole," DJ mutters under her breath. "Look, it doesn't matter. Just know that you're a pretty big fucking deal, Captain. You're a superhero. So now you're kind of obligated to help and- Holy shit Captain America is in love with me."

Tony rolls his eyes and impatiently pries them apart. "Great. Congratulations. Can we focus on the large green problem at ha-"

Said large green problem at hand was bent over, huffing heaving breaths, inches away from their faces. He makes a rumbling sound in the back of his throat and draws his arm back as if to swipe them all aside, but stops short at the last second. He pads a step closer, bringing his giant face level with DJ's and takes a deep, thorough sniff.

Hulk grunts, plopping down to sit on the ground, and gently pats DJ on the head. "Careful."

"How very King Kong," Tony remarks dryly.

Steve perks up in surprise. "I understood that reference!"

The sky suddenly darkens with a rumble of thunder, and with a bright clash of lightning Thor is perched at the top of a tree. "Surrender your beast!

"Slow your roll, Viking," Tony raises a gauntlet in warning. "Let's not start something we'll regret."

Hulk growls and wraps an arm loosely around DJ's body, hunching over her for protection. "Careful."

The crack of a gun resonates through the air, and everyone freezes as the bullet clinks and bounces off the chest plate of Tony's armor. "So it's going to be _that _way is it?" Tony turns and narrows his eyes, scanning the jungle for Natasha and Clint.

Thor tosses his hammer, but before it can get close enough to hit anyone DJ leans around Hulk and reaches out, freezing it midair. "Everyone back off!"

From his spot on a high branch, Clint slowly tugs back the string of his bow. He locks his sight on a sliver of bared, pale flesh, takes a deep breath, and lets go.

Steve's ears pick up the _whoosh_ of air as the arrow soars through the air. Steve's eyes track the trajectory. Steve's voice fails him, but his feet don't.

It doesn't hurt at first, the arrow that pierces his suit and lodges in his shoulder. At first all he really does is stare, that is, until DJ cries out in shock. "Captain! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Do you always get so offended when a guy takes a shot for you?" He jerks the arrow out of the muscle with a wince, pressing his palm over the open wound.

"Well I don't remember, but probably." She pulls his hand away, flinching at the red on his hands, to check the damage. "I'm not a delicate flower, ya know."

Something familiar flashes in Steve's mind, but it's gone as quick as it had come, lingering murkily like a ghost. "Yeah, no, of course not… No flowers here. I just… You're important to me. I think."

Another arrow sails towards them, but the Hulk snarls at bats it away. "Keep safe," he rumbles agitatedly, scooping up DJ with one arm and Steve into the other before darting away off into the jungle.

"I wonder why he's so hell bent on protecting you," Steve muses as he's dropped unceremoniously on the ground and DJ's softly lowered to her feet.

She shrugs, watching as Hulk slumps over in exhaustion. "Who knows? Maybe I'm sleeping with him, too."

The Hulk starts to shrink, skin turning back to a healthy human pink. As he slips back into Bruce he seems to flicker, like one of Tony's holograms.

"Do you see-"

"I don't think that was very funny," Steve comments lowly, voice equal parts hurt and husky. It momentarily steals DJ's attention, and when she looks back at where Bruce was, he's gone.

Somewhere in the jungle Bruce wakes up alone among the unconscious bodies of his teammates. "DJ? Steve?" He sits up and catches sight of DJ sprawled out next to him, and lets his gaze linger. "Well… Somebody has a secret."

"Captain, Glasses just-"

"You don't believe me, do you?" He places his hands on her hips, moving into her personal space.

She sighs, letting him nuzzle into her neck. "Believe you? About what? I believe you're stupid enough to get yourself skewered. I believe you're stubborn and handsy and well-skilled in the puppy dog eyes department."

"You know what I'm talking about. Why are you avoiding it? You don't believe that I _love_ you."

A sharp migraine sparks at the forefront of DJ's brain and makes her sway into Steve. "Shit. Don't be ridiculous. You don't _remember_ me."

"Doesn't change how I feel. I love you. I do. I love you."

Another flash of pain and she closes her eyes. Images. _Steve's warm hands sliding along her sides, his lips trailing down her neck. He rocks his hips, pushing up into her and making her arc her back and bite her lip. "I love you," he whispers against her skin, and it sounds like a prayer_.

"Stop. Stop saying that," she snaps, clutching her head. "If you can't even remember who you are, how can you remember love? What you're feeling is just lust and blood loss."

Instead of responding Steve just fits his lips softly over hers, thumbs stroking over her cheeks. The rush that consumes him is nearly overwhelming, like an entire ecosystem is doing backflips in his stomach and someone set his skin on fire. Like the world, once tipped over on its side, is finally righted again.

And it hits him.

"Daisy," he breathes, trembling under the assault of all of his memories. Of being small and weak and beaten. Of the war and the ice. Of Peggy and Daisy and Maria and anger and hurt and love.

And then he wakes up.

And DJ is suddenly alone, but she isn't. Clint steps out of the shade, face stoic.

"So do you love him back?"

She rolls her eyes, kicking a pebble with the toe of her boat. "I can see that everyone's just going to ignore the fact that people are disappearing in favor of fretting over my love life."

"Do you?"

"He doesn't really love me, Bart." She's tired of this circular conversation, tired in general. "I don't know how, but I know that much."

Abruptly closer, Clint grabs her shoulder and forces her to look at him. "That's not what I asked."

"And what do you care, hmm? You can't claim you love me too, because you fucking shot at me. You jealous? Don't like people taking your things? What?"

"I don't know who I am, but I find a picture of you in my boot. How do you expect me to feel?" She doesn't know. She doesn't even know how she feels anymore. "You're my anchor. And… I knew he wouldn't let it hit you. The arrow, I mean."

She scoffs, batting his hand away. "You're unbelievable."

"He called you Daisy," Clint continued. "He remembered. He kissed you and he remembered."

"What, you wanna kiss me too, then?"

He laughs humorlessly. "Anything to help me remember. Even if it triggers one memory, that's one memory I want."

"How romantic."

"Please?"

DJ huffs and gestures for him to have at it, bracing herself for another migraine and teaser of a memory. Their lips meet and it's… Underwhelming. She opens her mouth and lets him deepen the kiss, exploring with his tongue, searching.

She lets her hands wander over his body, thinking maybe if she put a little effort into it she'd spark something. Her fingers catch on one of his pockets, dipping inside and brushing something glossy. She pulls away from his mouth and slips the thin square out of his pocket. "Bart, you fucking idiot. At no point did you think to check your other pockets?"

"Oops," Clint responds a little dazedly as DJ presses the picture of Natasha against his chest. "I was a little preoccupied, I guess."

DJ just rolls her eyes and sets to work on unzipping and unsnapping pockets, pulling photos out one by one. Tony and Bruce and Thor and Steve. And finally a picture of the seven of them all together. There's writing on the back of that one, messy chicken scratch that they have to squint to read.

_Clint Barton. SHIELD Agent. Avenger. Trust them. This is your family. Remember that._

It's something so stupidly simple, this one picture. Something so unspectacular that gets everything to click in place.

And then he wakes up. Then Natasha, DJ, Thor, Tony, and Howard sit upright with a gasp.

"You tied me up!" Howard exclaims indignantly. "You tied me up and you left me there the _entire_ time! What were you even off doing?!"

DJ holds up her hand to prevent anyone else from answering. "We're not going to talk about it. We're not going to talk about _any_ of what happened when we forgot. Understood?"

"But-"

"None of it!" She cuts Clint off, shakily dragging herself to her feet. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go vomit."


	9. A Choice

DJ was hunched over on her hands and knees, dry heaving into the bushes. The heat was too much, the migraine was too much, and the fact that she was starving but the very thought of food made her queasy was too much.

"Sucks, doesn't it?" Bruce comments from behind her, hands stuffed into the pockets of the spare set of pants they'd brought along. "That morning sickness doesn't actually just happen in the morning."

She sighs and looks at him over her shoulder. "And how did _you_ find out?"

"The other guy smelled it on you," he smiles weakly, shrugging. "Steve doesn't know yet, does he?"

"Spare me the lecture Bruce, please. I've already heard it from absolutely everyone else, with the exception of Howard. Though at this point it wouldn't really surprise me if he cornered me and laid it on thick, too."

The levity drained from Bruce's features as he stared down at her. "I was just going to say that I understand. It's scary. It'd be scary even if you weren't a mutant. But that changes things. Especially here. It would break his heart if he was offered this great gift just to lose it in the end. I understand, but he still deserves to know."

"I… can't."

"I didn't think you knew the meaning of 'can't,'" Bruce replied archly. "You throw yourself into impossible situations on a daily basis. What makes this one so different?"

DJ spins around, startling him with watery eyes. "I can't tell him because I'm terrified! I'm terrified that he'll want this baby but he won't want me! And I don't think I could live the rest of my life knowing that he loves this part of me, but not _me_."

"I don't think that's what you're afraid of," he refutes.

"Excuse me?"

Bruce nervously licks his lips, shifting his weight before making his point. "I think maybe you're afraid that if he found out he'd take you back out of obligation. Out of this idea that you think is in his head about the American Dream. I think you could probably handle him not wanting you, but you couldn't handle him pretending to want you."

A rumble ripped through the air as trees sprung from the ground, and the earth shifted beneath their feet, and the jungle began to rearrange itself. Dark clouds drifted in fast and a freezing thick rain began to pour like buckets. Bruce seems to have disappeared, and in his place stands a cloaked figure.

DJ bites back a scream. "Are you the asshole that has us jumping through hoops?"

The figure flashes a white grin, the rest of his face hidden by the shadow of his hood. "You're all a lot more willful than I bargained for. The numbers usually start to dwindle by now, but it seems as though you've _gained _a companion. I don't like to lose at my own game."

"Is that what all this is to you?" She barks. "A _game_? Well we don't want to play."

The grin slips from his mouth to be replaced by a scowl. "It's much more than that, and I don't think you have a choice."

"So what's your deal then? Why torture us this way? You've had plenty of opportunities to kill us. You could probably flood this whole place right now and we'd be completely helpless."

"I need you alive." The cold tone of his voice creeps up her spine like icy tendrils. "I need you weak with no will left to fight. But I think with you I might have been using the wrong tactic. So I'm going to be generous and extend an offer."

DJ sneers and wipes the rain from her eyes. "And what if I don't want your _generosity_?"

"It makes no difference to me," he shrugs. "You'll all break eventually. I just thought you might appreciate that as much as I can make your nightmares a reality, I can make your wildest dreams come true. He could love you again."

She stiffens, turning her face away to hide her emotion. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm quite sure that you do. I don't need to dig into your brain to work you out- You never shut up about him. I can give you what you want. Just close your eyes and he'll be yours."

Her heart stutters, and she has to tamp down the hope. The temptation is nearly too much. "But it wouldn't be real."

"You'd never know the difference," he swears.

"I…" She thinks of the way he used to look at her with that warm glimmer in his eyes. The gentle strength of his arms when they wrapped around her. All the promises he whispered through kisses. And she knows that even her imagination couldn't come close to the real thing. "I would rather die."

"That can be arranged," he snarled, suddenly closer. He leans into her space, a bony hand coming up to painfully grasp her jaw. "It's a shame. You and your energy alone would've been enough to keep me alive for _months_, but with that little bun in the oven…"

The suggestion alone is enough to have him flying backwards with enough force that, as he collides with a tree, it splits in two. "There are five very protective super heroes that would never let you lay a finger on this kid. And if Steve knew- and I have no doubt that they would tell him- there would be no place that you could hide. You'd be dead within hours."

"If it were that easy to kill me, I would've been dead _centuries_ ago," the figure mocks as he all but floats back up to his feet. "Which is where you come in. Or would've come in. It's clear that getting you out of the way will have the most beneficial results. Your Captain will have plenty of energy for me, and once you're out of the picture what is there left for him to fight for?"

Before DJ can respond the figure is in front of her again, his large palm stretched across her face. She shudders and her eyes roll up in her head, and the next thing she knows she's freezing. Her clothes are still damp and she's surrounded by ice and snow, and the other Avengers don't seem much better off.

"Fucking cheater!" She growls crawling over towards the others. Tony has icicles hanging off his suit, and Clint is quickly stripping off his vest to wring it out. Natasha has that calculated look about her as her eyes dart around assessing the situation, while Howard is curled up in a ball in the corner looking blue. Bruce is an equal mixture of confused and concerned, and Steve is… In shock.

DJ takes a good look at her surroundings and recognizes it as a train. _The_ train. From the stories that Steve would force out late at night. From the pictures she guiltily found in his file. "Oh no," her stomach clenches in dread. "I've had this dream before."

Natasha's eyes snap to her. "This is _yours_?" At her silent nod Natasha goes pale. "Then fix it."

"I don't think I can."

A blink and Peggy is there, standing by the hole in the siding as the white mountains whir past. "Steve?" She says tentatively, cocking her head to the side. She's so beautiful and lost that it hurts, and DJ starts to cry.

Steve snaps out of whatever trauma he was reliving, and DJ can pinpoint the exact moment that he realizes what's about to happen. And she can tell by the sudden steel in his eyes when he decides that he's not going to lose anyone else the same way that he lost Bucky. She starts to fall the very second he darts forward.

The wind whips around Peggy's brown hair as she falls, and she screams, out of surprise not fear. Steve catches her by one hand, nearly the fingertips. She doesn't look afraid. She trusts him to save her. DJ has to remind herself that he's not saving her because she's Peggy, but because he's Captain America. He'd save almost anyone.

Until he's given a choice.

The train stutters on the tracks and everyone inside is pitched in a different direction. DJ screams, too, as she feels the sting of cold on her face and the ground disappear out from under her. But she **is** afraid. Because she's had this dream before. And she's never the one that Steve chooses.


	10. Let Go

Half a second later and it would've been too late. Steve's other hand reaches out and grabs her in much the same way as he did Peggy- by the fingers. He trembled under the effort of not slipping forward without something to anchor him. His crushing grip quivered, and still both women began to slide through his hold.

"Help!" Steve barks, teeth grinding and muscles flexing. A sweat breaks out across his brow despite the cold. And maybe that's not the only moisture on his face.

Tony takes a step forward and the train groans, already delicately uprooted from the tracks and tipped precariously, and sways. "We can't," and DJ can't see his face from this angle, but she can hear the despair in his voice. The day that Tony Stark runs out of hope and brilliant ideas is a bad day for everyone.

"Steve," Peggy whimpers, the fear finally creeping in. "You can do this. I know you can."

He clenches his eyes shut, like the sound of her voice is a searing knife in his side. His boots lose their traction for a fraction of a second and he eases closer to the edge. This could hurt him. In so many ways. And DJ… She's come to terms with dying before.

"It's alright," DJ says quietly enough that she hopes the others don't hear. "You can't save all of us, Steve. It's impossible. You have to let go. Let go of me, Steve. It's the only way to ensure the least amount of casualties."

"Don't talk about yourself like you're just collateral damage," Steve grinds out, never opening his eyes. "Don't be clinical and logical likes this is _easy_."

Her fingers slip further through his. "It's easy for me," she lied, forcing a mirthless smile even though he couldn't see her. "This is why we broke up, remember, Steve? So you would be able to make these hard decisions. We're superheroes, we don't grow old, or… Just let me go, okay? It's what I want."

"Cap-"

"Shut up, Tony," DJ fiercely demands. "Be real. I love that you're a persistent, stubborn little asshole, but you know as well as I do that sacrifices have to be made."

She slips further until she's dangling by three fingers, which are either bruised or broken under Steve's grip. Steve opens his eyes then, brave enough to look the women in the eyes before he makes his choice. An apology tumbles inaudibly from his lips. And he lets go.

The air leaves DJ's lungs as, instead of plunging downwards, she's jerked upwards into Steve's arms. There's a wild look in Steve's eyes and all DJ can do is dig her fingernails into the chest of his uniform. He shakes around her, and manages a weak, "I nearly lost you once. I couldn't do it again."

The illusion crumples around them and DJ wakes up alone again. The rain still beats down, soaking her through. She pushes up off the ground, and- ouch- yeah, those three fingers are a little bit broken. That problem is an afterthought to her, however, and she slides in the mud and scrambles forward through the storm.

"Steve!" She calls out, squinting in the darkness. She stumbles aimlessly forward, sinking occasionally into the mud and weighing herself down. "Steve!"

She hears her name echoing back to her not too far off, and forces her legs to push themselves faster. There's a blur of blue in front of her, and it's lucky that Steve's abilities give him more agility and endurance, because DJ's legs give out as soon as he reaches her. He wraps his arms around her, falling to the ground at his knees, and buries his face into her neck.

"Steve," she breathes. "Steve, why? I don't understand."

"I told you-"

"I heard what you said," she interrupts. "But if you saved her you would've had her back. She would've stayed."

Steve pulls back enough to wipe away the strands of hair clinging to her cheeks. "And I would've lost _you_."

"But Steve, you _love_ her!"

He furrows his brow and twists his mouth in confusion. "Yes. And you."

It's like DJ's suddenly forgotten how to breathe. "Still?"

"Of course," Steve replies, and he looks genuinely confused. "I know you demanded we not talk about it, but when we lost our memories I wasn't kidding. I still care about you. In that way. In the, um, the love way. And I would do anything to prove that."

"But, I… What about Hill?"

"What about her?" He shrugs a shoulder. "We're not together. We never were in an… Official way."

"Captain America engaging in casual sex?" She teases even though her brain is trying to keep up with this sucker-punch nugget of information. "Who would have ever guessed?"

Even through the rain and the dark she can tell that he blushes. "Yeah, well… And I want you to know that… The way I acted earlier? About you and Howard? I'm sorry. I was… Jealous." He whispers the last word like it's unheard of, and actually, it's a little odd. The paragon of perfection feeling like he can't measure up? That sort of thing doesn't happen every day.

"It's alright, Steve," she assures as he stands up and offers her a hand. "And that whole thing with me and Howard, it didn't really mean anything, ya know? I was scared and-"

"Tony explained everything," Steve stopped her, slipping an arm around her waist as they began to walk together. "And you were right then, anyway. I had no right to be so upset. We haven't been on the best of terms, and that's both our faults, but when we-"

"We don't need to talk about that, either," she insists as they near the group. A tarp is stretched out over branches to protect them from the rain. "It's in the past."

Steve sighs in exasperation and powers on anyway. "But we_ do_. We had sex, Daisy!"

Tony, Howard, Thor, Clint, and Natasha pause in what they're doing to watch them, and DJ rolls her eyes. "A long time ago, guys! You know what he's talking about!"

"You told them about it?!"

"Steve, they figured it out on their own. And if they hadn't, you just announced it to the world five seconds ago." And DJ was supposed to be the irrational one. "It's not that big of a deal. Everyone has break up sex at least once. You're welcome for that life experience. There. Conversation done."

"I disagree," Tony interjects.

DJ groans and lets her head fall back. "Not now Tony, please. I can only take so much stress in one day. Can't we let the whole dangling from a train thing be the main course for today?"

"Hmm, I wonder why you can't handle the stress."

"Damn it, Tony-"

He waves a hand to cut her off. "No, no. You're right. You shouldn't exert yourself. I'll take the liberty of telling-"

"Fucking fine! _God_!" She turns to Steve, anger blazing in her eyes despite the fact that her stomach is really just churning with nerves. "Steve, I'm pregnant!"

The stretch of silence that ensues is a fraction too long. "I… Was… Is it… Um, Howard's?"

There's a collective groan from the peanut gallery, and DJ's fake anger quickly becomes real. "What the f- No. You know what? I'm going to give you a break on that one. Boop. Rewind. Try that again. I'm pregnant."

"But I thought you were on…" Steve leans forward, lowering his voice like the next part is a dirty word. "_The pill_."

Natasha scoffs. "If you want to kill him, I'll kindly look the other way."

"Nope, no, it's fine. It's okay." DJ's feeling particularly generous at the moment. "Third time's the charm. Do-over. Here we go. Steve, I'm pregnant."

This time he visibly panics, mouth flapping wordless for a few minutes before he grabs her by the shoulders and looks at her with eyes as wide as saucers. "Marry me."

"Steve, I… I seriously want to punch you in the face right now."

"I wouldn't do that," Clint advises. "Your fingers already look broken."

Steve frowns, letting DJ go. "I don't understand? What did I do?"

"Exactly what was expected of you, Steve," DJ snaps, cutting him with a glare. "Congratulations."

"Don't do that," Steve exhales in exasperation. "Don't just shut me out like that. If you're going to get angry, at least have the courtesy to let me participate in the argument."

His rationality makes all the fight drain out of her, and now she's just tired. Tired of running in circles and having things dangled in front of her, just to have them taken away. Tired of never knowing what he wants, or means, or feels. "Listen Steve, you're a great guy. Obviously. And that drives me crazy. I can't take it sometimes, how perfect you are. Honestly, I prefer you questioning the paternity over proposing."

"I'm sorry, I'm still a little confused." Steve runs a hand through his wet hair, an expression of helplessness on his face. "Just tell me what you want from me and I'll do it. If you don't want me in your life, that's fine. Just tell me."

"Jesus fucking Christ, Steve! _That's_ the problem! It's always about what I want, and I'm aware this argument is a little backwards, but just do what _you _want for a change!"

Steve pulls the puppy dog face, which doesn't help matters any. "But I do-"

"Oh, don't even _pretend_ that you do what you want. When I left you just disappeared and let it happen! And now you ask me to marry you because you think it's the right thing to do? That's bullshit. That is doing things because you think you have to, because you think you're obligated. That's Captain America. And I didn't fall in love with him. I fell in love with Steve Rogers."

He's actually starting to get frustrated now, an irritated flush darkening his cheeks. "They're the same person!"

"No they're not," she vehemently denies. "And you used to know that. Captain America is a persona. And he's great. He's noble and brave and puts his life on the line nearly every day. Steve is the guy who couldn't remember who he was. Who knew how he felt and wouldn't take no for an answer. He mouths off and thinks too highly of everyone and he fights for what he wants."

"Maybe that's what I'm doing, and you're just too much of a stubborn jerk to see it!"

DJ huffs and crosses her arms over her chest, wincing when she jostles her broken fingers. "Yeah, sure, right. Because you totally want to _marry_ me Steve. Okay."

"You're the most infuriating woman I've ever met!" Steve yells up at the sky. "I took an arrow for you! I chose you on the train! You seemed to think that was a pretty big deal a few minutes ago, and now it's _ridiculous_ that I want to marry you?"

"Yes," she says the word slowly and drawn out as if Steve were a mentally inept five year old. "Loving someone and wanting to spend the rest of your life with them are completely different things."

"Not to me!" He exclaims. "I've been going crazy while you were gone! It's bad enough that you broke up with me, but we couldn't even claim to be friends! The thought of never having any sort of relationship with you ever again was killing me. There was this big gaping hole in my life where you were supposed to be. It hurts to imagine you _not_ being in my future."

It's DJ's turn to fumble for words. "I… Well… That's just stupid!"

"You're stupid," Steve argues back, offended. "When we talked about what happened during the memory lapse-"

Clint snaps to attention, mouth getting away from him. "You told him we kissed?!"

"No, Clint, I didn't," DJ rolls her eyes. "Thank you for that, dumbass."

"You and Clint did _what_?"

"Oh, get off it, Steve. We didn't know who we were."

Steve frowns, clearly getting ready to not let it go. "I didn't know who I was either, and I was so sure about us. Why don't you feel the same way?"

"_Steve_-"

"Guys," Tony interrupts. "Where's Bruce?"


	11. Fixed

"You're sure that's all that happened?" Tony badgered her for the third time.

DJ's eye twitches and a few small pebbles tremble ominously on the ground. "_Yes_. Earthquake, no Bruce, spooky Emperor Palpatine guy pops out of nowhere. The end."

Steve places a calming hand on her lower back, and DJ can't decide if it's infuriating or wonderful. "Don't stress her out, Tony. You know she can't handle it right now."

"Oh really?" DJ challenges drolly. "I'll show you exactly what I can handle, Rogers."

"Please save your sexually laden banter for when you're alone," Tony wrinkles his nose in disgust. "I'm glad you're not trading glacial looks and dancing around each other anymore, but I don't need to witness the passionate reunion. The bedroom eyes are awful. It's a nightmare. No, I get it, I've fallen asleep and creepy dream puppet master is tormenting me with the horror that is the burning in your loins."

Natasha reaches out and grabs Tony by the elbow. "Shut up, Stark." He opens his mouth to retaliate but she cuts a glare to him and he stops short. "I have an idea."

"Great. Excellent. I'm up for practically anything, because all we're doing right now is wandering aimlessly through a constantly changing forest while Tony harasses me about his science boyfriend."

Tony scoffs. "Science boyfriend? Please, not all of us-"

"One of us is going to have to fall asleep," Natasha interrupts, and everyone goes deathly silent. "Bruce showed up last time, right? So one of us volunteers and we'll beat this guy at his own game. We'll meet up with Bruce in someone's dream and ask him where he is."

"That's a brilliant idea," Howard pipes up from the back of the group, feeling ridiculously ignored. Hello, _genius_, and yet no one's been asking his opinion this entire time. "In theory. But do the benefits outweigh the costs? I'm not saying we give up on the big guy, but we're pretty much handing over the keys to someone's worst nightmare."

Clint shrugs, shifting a step closer to Natasha as a show of solidarity. "It's worked out fine before, and this time we'll be expecting it."

"Yeah," Steve agreed a pinch too casually. "If all else fails we'll just have Daisy make out with someone. That seems to solve every other problem."

DJ scowls and shoves futilely at Steve's chest. "I think I liked it better when we weren't talking. Ass."

"I will do it," Thor offers loud and earnest. "I have few fears left."

"I don't particularly want to find out what those few fears are," DJ counters. "I'm just saying. Norse god? Probably going to take a hell of a lot to scare him."

Arching a brow Natasha levels her with a look. "None of us have had particularly danger free lives. Aliens, evil engineering masterminds, Nazis, the Ten Rings, _Russia_-"

"You can't just pull the Russia card like that-"

"My point is," Natasha continues unhindered. "Our fears have been relatively trivial so far. Getting scattered through time, forgetting who we are, dangling from a train with the weight of a million girly insecurities-"

"_Pardon_ me-"

"All that's a piece of cake compared to the bullshit we put up with on the job. We can handle anything. Because we _do _have a Norse god. And Captain America, and an annoying, albeit genius, Iron Man, and a Hulk, and a mutant who can turn things to dust. Not to mention two _very_ impressive master assassins."

Tony throws an arm around Natasha's shoulders and leans his full weight- armor and all- against her, making her sag under the pressure. "That was very inspirational for someone who can kill a man with her bare thighs."

"Like you know anything about her bare thighs, Stark," Clint snarks, swatting his arm away from Natasha's shoulders.

"Oh, and you do?"

"As a matter of fact-"

DJ sharply raises a hand, putting an end to the argument. "No one wants to hear about your secret agent sexcapades. So what are we gonna do? Just stand around singing Thor lullabies and twiddling our thumbs?"

* * *

Yes. More or less, that's what they do.

Thor falls asleep relatively quick despite the loud, distracting tirade spewing from Tony's mouth. Not at all surprising considering they've all been awake for about three days if the rising and setting of the sun is any indication. Given the circumstances of the changing jungle, none of them would be surprised if _that_ was a farce, too.

As his eyes slip closed a gentle mist drifts down from the sky- powder blue and faintly glittering.

"I don't know whether or not to run away or stand here gawking," DJ breathes. "It's beautiful."

Tony nods slowly off to her side. "But most beautiful things are deadly. A concept that I find applies just as well to mysterious mists as well as women."

"So run then?"

Steve's cheeks slowly flush pink. "I can't move."

"I was hoping I was not the only one," Thor agrees from where he's sprawled out on the ground, peeling one eye open.

"Well I don't think the mist is toxic," Bruce offers poking his head out from the forest. "The big guy's protective instincts aren't making me green and growly yet."

"Banner!" Clint exclaims in surprise. "How long have you been there?"

"Five or ten minutes."

DJ turns her head as far as she can towards Bruce, looking at him from the corner of her eye. "And at no point did you think that maybe you should announce yourself? I mean, you've only gone _missing_ in the conscious world."

"I wasn't worried," he shrugs. "You'll find me eventually. And I don't know where I am."

Natasha exhales in exasperation. "Well what do your surroundings _look_ like, Bruce?"

"It's just dark," Bruce murmurs. "Pitch black. It's some sort of building. Cold. The floor's made of cement. I'm wrapped in chains. Nothing earthly, though. They stretch and hold the other guy."

The mist reaches Steve first, glitter catching in his thick lashes. He gasps from behind everyone, body heating up significantly. His skin takes on a deep blue glow, and a sharp pain shoots through his body. The dust begins to land on the others as he slips into the cover of the forest.

It settles on Clint next, making him shiver and clutch his head, falling to his knees. Tony next, who feels a flutter in his chest as the weight of the Iron Man suit drags him to the forest floor. Bruce who feels like he can breathe for the first time in years. DJ who feels a small buzz ripple through her body, a static sound turning off in her brain that she never realized was there. Natasha, muscles tense and feet suddenly clumsy.

Finally the shimmering power ghosts across Thor's body, and as he picks his body off the floor he lets out an angry bellow. He feels the weakness in his very core, and he doesn't have to reach out for Mjölnir to know that he can't pick it up. However, it doesn't stop him from trying.

"I can't see," Clint grinds out, voice rough with contained panic. "I can't see anything."

Natasha stumbles towards him graceless, slow, and weak. "I- Just don't panic. It's not real. We'll fix this."

"Then why do you sound so scared?" He huffs bitterly, unseeing eyes boring through her.

"The Hulk's gone," Bruce notes quietly, emotions unsure and on the fence. "I can't feel him anymore."

DJ jerks her head towards Tony's still body and kneels at his side, banging on the armor. "Tony? Tony wake up. Are you alright? Oh God, are you dead? Tony!"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," he croaks feebly.

"I thought maybe the arc reactor…"

Tony breathes a mirthless laugh. "Well it doesn't feel like shrapnel is slicing through my heart, so I guess not. Could you hit the emergency release? It's getting claustrophobic in here."

The armor falls away and DJ's breath catches in her throat. She presses a hand against the center of Tony's chest. Tony's smooth, unmarred chest. "It's gone," she whispers. "You're…"

"I'm a real boy." The smirk he flashes quivers and falls quickly away.

"DJ," Howard starts, but she ignores him in favor of staring at her hands.

"We're all… Fixed."

"DJ-"

Clint swivels his head towards where it sounds like DJ's coming from. "Speak for yourself. _Fixed_." He spits it out like it's a dirty word, scowling at empty air.

"It's…" She struggles for words. "What do we do when someone's worst nightmare is what someone else has wanted for _years_?"

Howard stalks forward and grabs her by the elbow. "DJ, where did _Steve_ go?"

"Can we not keep tabs on _anybody_?" Natasha growls under her breath.

DJ's heart starts beating in over time, and guilt swirls in her gut like a hurricane. "Fuck! Steve!"

She tries to dart off in the most appealing direction but Howard doesn't release his grip on her arm. "You can't just go running off in this weird place when nobody's got their powers."

"I will break your nose, powers or not," she snarls. "Steve is my…"

"Fiancé," Tony readily supplies.

"I never said yes!"

"I'm, uh, I'm alright!" comes a hesitant shout from the tree shrouded darkness.

DJ releases a deep breath she didn't even notice she was holding. "Well what the hell are you thinking, Steve? Are you actually _hiding_?"

"I don't want you to see me," he replies in that stubborn Captain America tone of his.

"Excuse me?" DJ's jaw drops open in disbelief. "I'm your-"

"Fiancé."

"Shut the fuck up, Tony!" She tugs at the root of her hair in frustration. "Now Steve, I don't know what crazy pills you're taking, but-"

Howard gives a warning tug at her arm. "I saw him before the serum, remember. I understand how he might be a bit embarrassed, is all."

She finally tears out of his hold and levels him with a glare. "Well I've seen the pictures from before, and I _don't_ understand."

"Seeing it in person is different," and Steve's voice is almost pleading now. It nearly breaks DJ's heart in two.

"Look, I… I can't make you come out," she shrugs helplessly. "I can't make you trust me… But I'm your maybe fiancé, aren't I? When have I ever said anything that made you think I wouldn't take you any way you are?"

She hears his sad sigh as she pads quietly forward. "Daisy…"

A smear of red on a tree catches her eye and any sensitivity she has for the situation goes out the window. "You're hurt."

* * *

Ah! Sorry this took super long to get out! My computer crashed and I lost everything, and by the time that I got a new computer finals popped up and consumed my life. Hopefully I can get back on a roll again and finish this up since I have over a month off. Reviews would help immensely with that ;] I love you guys, thanks for sticking it out.


	12. Sidelines

"It's nothing," Steve snaps, making DJ's mouth twist sourly at his tone. He takes a deep breath and softens his next line. "It's just from when Clint hit me with the arrow… The wound opened back up when I changed. I'm fine."

DJ full out scowls and toes closer to the foliage. "Very few people would be _fine_ after getting shot. Don't be a dumbass, Steve."

"Don't talk down to me," his voice hardens again from the dark. "I'm smaller, not dumber."

"I think everyone in the general vicinity knows full well that I would talk down to you regardless of your size and mental capacity." A twig snaps under her boot and she hears Steve skitter backwards at her approach. "It's one of my infamous charms. Still wanna marry me?"

Steve laughed weakly, fidgeting with the sleeves of his now over-sized armor. "Still wanna marry _me_?"

"To be fair, I never said yes to begin with," she replied, earning a glare from Natasha that said_ certainly not helping_. "But I would totally conceive another illegitimate child with you."

"_Daisy_."

"What?" She challenged with a smile. "Don't believe me? I'll strip down right here and climb you like a tree."

DJ can practically feel the heat radiating from the blush she knows must be there, and the trademark 'aw shucks' scrunched shoulders. "It'd be more like climbing a small shrub."

"Oh? _Oh_. Christ Steve, it's not the size of the boat, it's the-"

"I wasn't talking about _that_!" Steve squawks stomping indignantly out from the trees. "And could we not talk about my- you know- here?!"

With a sly grin DJ grabs his hands and leads him further out into the clearing. "It got you to come out of hiding, didn't it? And the magazine's say I'm all beauty and no brains!"

"The magazines also say you're one of New York's most eligible bachelorette's," Bruce comments dryly. "But I think they've overlooked one of your growing problems."

DJ responds with a pout. "Too soon for fetus jokes, Banner. Too soon."

Howard, however, perks up. "You're in magazines?"

"Oh yeah," Tony answers, moving to throw an arm over his not-dad's shoulders, but stops the gesture halfway. "You should see her spreads. You'd love 'em."

"Trust me, I've already seen her sprea-"

Natasha holds an arm out as Steve takes a not-so-menacing-but-probably-intended-to-be step forward. "Am I the only one who doesn't have a one track mind?"

"No," Clint smirks. "Banner doesn't. If he did he'd turn green and kill us all with his arousal. Oh. Well I guess that's not true anymore. Congrats, man." He unseeingly extends a hand towards no one for a high five.

A deep rumble from the earth cut off any witty response that may have come, and Thor groans disagreeably. "It seems we are misfortunate enough to be in the presence of a foe."

Understatement of the century. From behind them something gargantuan, tube-shaped, and slimy burst out of the ground, making the ground quake as its armless body thrashed against the ground.

"Really," Tony commented flatly. "A giant worm."

"_Actually_," DJ corrected in the same monotone. "It's a slug."

Steve nodded. "A giant slug."

"A bug is a bug." The corners of Tony's mouth tug downward as he takes slow, careful steps away from the slug.

Natasha pulls a gun out of a holster and cocks it. "Neither a slug nor a worm is a bug."

"We should run," Howard says a little easily. "Eagleeye here can't even see."

"You know damn well that's not his name," Steve scolds as he takes the gun out of Natasha's unsteady and wavering grip. He takes a deep breath and releases five shots in quick succession, nailing the slug directly between the eyes. The others just stare. "What? I might have lost the serum but I wasstill in the _Army_."

The shrug convulses and a stream of fire explodes angrily from its mouth, scorching the tops of the trees.

"Fire-breathing giant slug," Tony sighs. "Yes. Run."

* * *

"Okay," DJ began from inside the cave they'd run into for safety. "So our powers are gone. But Tony and Bruce are still geniuses. Howard too, I guess. The magic glitter fog apparently thought he was useless because they didn't take anything from _him_. Steve can shoot and strategize. Natasha can probably still outwit the baddies and Clint's resting face is still terrifying. I bet Thor could drink anyone under the table, and I…"

Thor scratched his beard thoughtfully and offered, "You're pregnant."

"Thanks," she drawled. "My worth is equated to my vagina."

"You're still a bitch," Clint shrugged at the wrong person. "You could exasperate the slug into submission."

Howard perks up like a dog with a bone. "That's it!"

"No," Tony stops him with a sharp look.

"What?" Steve cocks his head to the side, picking up on the tension but missing the reason.

"Pops here wants to use your girlfriend as slug bait."

Steve jumps to his feet, standing toe to toe with Howard, forgetting momentarily that he doesn't exactly tower over people the way he used to. "Don't start putting ideas in her head. You know she'd volunteer in an instant. There's more than just her to think about. Think about the baby."

"I'm standing right here, Steve. I don't need the menfolk to make my decisions for me." DJ rolls her eyes in annoyance, dragging Steve away from his failed attempt at intimidation. "I've been in situations far more dangerous than this. I can handle it. Besides, I can't sit around and be useless just because I'm pregnant."

"_Just_ because you are pregnant?" Thor bellows before Steve gets the chance. "This child is a gift. A symbol of your love and so much more. As a friend, I will not allow you to risk it. If I have to guard you myself, you shall stay here."

Her eyes sharpen and it takes all of her will not to stomp her feet. "There is a giant mother fucking fire breathing slug! You guys are going to need all the help you can get."

"And we're going to need all of our concentration," Natasha counters coolly. "If you go in on this, Steve's only going to have his eyes on you. Don't get him killed because of your wounded pride."

DJ sighs and leans her weight against the wall of the cave, grumbling to herself. "Fuck you and your logic."

"Clint's staying behind, too," Natasha adds both coolly placating and sharply adamant.

Body immediately tensing and raising ramrod straight, Clint didn't even attempt to face Natasha's general direction. "_Bull_ shit I am!"

Tony (ineffectually) rolls his eyes at his temporarily blind teammate. "What help do you think you're going to be shooting arrows and missing by a mile? You'll be worse than a distraction, Helen Keller, you'll shoot _us_ instead."

* * *

Howard's plan was straightforward enough. Thor and Howard, loud mouths that they were, would distract the giant fire-breathing slug from either side on the ground, splitting the attention and preventing a focused attack. Steve and Tony would take to the tops of trees with a couple guns, firing with the aim of guiding the slug towards the cave. The tricky part, however, came when Natasha and Bruce crouched on top of the cave as she walked him through setting up the overly complicated SHIELD explosives her shaking hands were too imprecise to manage.

And of course while this happened DJ was expected to lead the blind through the forest to safety.

"If this is a glimpse of what my future as a mother will be like, I'm quitting while I'm ahead," DJ grumbles mostly to herself.

Clint scoffs indignantly even as he trips over a tree root. "I'm not _that_ incompetent."

"I meant sitting out of battles, dumb ass."

"Oh…" He trails off, stopping just centimeters from running head on into a tree, which cruelly disappoints DJ. "But it'll be worth it, won't it?"

With a growl DJ lets her head fall back onto the body of the tree. "I thought I might it quite clear a long time ago that I didn't intend to do the feelings talk with anyone."

"You do them with Steve," Clint tries to stare pointedly, but really only pulls off looking brain dead.

"Yeah, well, Steve is Steve. He's the embodiment of feelings and earnestness and infuriating unwavering stubbornness and nauseating loyalty and whatnot. You don't say no to Steve when he wants you to tear yourself open and face the terrifying reality of your emotions."

He smiles smugly and surprisingly manages to point at her when he speaks triumphantly. "Which is why you're an idiot."

"Pardon?" She balks. "I will walk off and leave you in the jungle alone."

Thoroughly unimpressed by her threats, Clint doesn't give up on his point. "I'm just saying, if you don't marry Cap and make a dozen more unfairly attractive children then that'll be the biggest mistake of your life. And you've made quite a few."

"You know insulting people doesn't really persuade them to listen to you."

"You only listen to insults."

"Deep-seated self-hatred. It's a mutant thing."

On the other side of the jungle Howard starts to lag, panting heavily. "Finishing up with those explosives about now would be swell."

"Something's not right," Natasha calls back from her position on the cave top. "Something must've jostled loose inside. It's totally unresponsive."

"I can't keep this up," Howard groans, hands curling around his cramping sides.

"Rest," Thor insists with an energetic bounce on the balls of his feet. "Even without my powers I have ample energy. I will distract the beast on my own."

Tony pauses in his strategic stream of bullets. "Bruce, any chance you can shoot? I'm coming up there and cracking it open for a look."

The wild haired man frowns nervously. "I'm afraid not. Smashing is more my forte."

Steve lowers his gun and nods approval at Tony. "Just go. I'll cover Thor from the ground and see if we can wrangle it that way."

"You sure?" Tony asks even as he starts making his way down the branches.

"I rarely am."

DJ, tired of volleying, loses her grip on her anger in a way that, under different circumstances, would have brought a building down on Clint's head. Instead she whips around and lands a kick square in the center of his chest. The satisfaction of the blow last only for a brief second, until the guilt comes rushing in.

She just kicked a blind man. A blind man who has stumbled a few steps backwards and started a slow roll down a very steep hill she didn't notice just seconds before. "Oh shit!"

Carefully making her way down after him, DJ winces as he hits a body of water with a splash. She sincerely hopes his lack of eyesight doesn't hinder his ability to swim. "Clint! Are you alright?! Shit!"

His head breaks the surface and he's gasping, flailing in surprise. "Uh, wha- I can see!"

DJ pauses at the edge of the small lake and arches a skeptical brow. "Really? All it takes is one this-is-Sparta kick to the chest and everything's back to normal?"

"I don't think so," Clint responds flatly, cupping a handful of glitter-specked water. "The sparkly shit must have stuck to us and then-"

Without waiting for him to finish, DJ leapt into the water beside him. She beamed and shook her sopping blonde locks like a dog, smattering his face with droplets.

"I thought you were the least eager to get your powers back?"

She shrugs, testing herself by turning a cluster of boulders to dust. "I guess the only thing I hate more than being a freak of nature is having to sit on the sidelines."

Clint's expression shifts minutely, but DJ has known him long enough to read his look as _I don't really want to be the one to have to say this_. "Then how great is it that you'll be so integral in saving us by leading Thor back here to wash off while I grab my bow."

"You bastard!"

* * *

My optimism in quickly cranking out chapters during winter break was greatly demolished by the reality of my tendency to sleep all day and an internet connection that only works one tenth of the time. So I apologize if I got anyone's hopes up. But hopefully I've gotten my ass back in gear (again)! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited. You guys are fantastic and are the only reason I've lasted so long with this. There are about two or three chapters left of this, then who knows what I'm doing with my life. Keep up the fabulous feedback!


	13. Bargaining Chip

DJ knows Hell. Hell is deals with the devil, and running from demons, your fears used against you, and being in love.

She knows it well. And yet she's always surprised at how quickly everything goes to Hell.

Thor had enthusiastically sloshed through the water, diving in and leaping out, until all of the glittering flecks had washed away. His arm thrust into the air, and a proud smile stretched across his face as his hammer flew through the trees into his grasp.

And then they had all woken with a gasp.

Except for Steve.

There was a time in her life when DJ couldn't help but expect the worse. A time when she could never stay in one place for more than a few days. When caring about people meant hurting them and getting hurt and just hurt after hurt after hurt.

And then Steve comes barreling into her life and sort of holds her hostage and bats those unfairly thick lashes and smiles with those obscene lips of his and it's no wonder that he wears down her pessimism into a pathetic little pebble lost in a sea of happy memories and love and euphoria.

So it shocks her into numbness when she sees the burns and the bruises and the blood and the way that Steve's chest isn't moving.

"What happened?" It's almost inaudible, but no one's moving, no one's making a sound, so everyone hears it.

Natasha looks at DJ like she's a little girl who shouldn't have to learn that life doesn't always go as planned. "We were low on numbers. We were tired. The bomb wasn't working. Stark… He was fixing it while Steve took to the ground. When we got the explosives up and running we all took cover, but the slug followed after us, so Steve-"

"Ah." Of course. Captain America was never the muscles. He was that stupid fucking asshole who would risk his life for anyone else. Even when someone with an almost someone growing inside of them _really_ needs him to stick around. "Bastard."

She reaches out and touches him, fingers dancing across patches of exposed, marred flesh. Feels the heat that would begin to fade by now. The parts of his face that are clean and unscathed are pale. His eyes are empty, blank.

"I can't believe…" The trees around them tremble in much the same rhythm as the shaky breath DJ takes. "What a fucking _idiot_."

Tony reaches out to comfort her, but clearly thinks better of it when faced with the full force of her glare. "He did this for you."

"Bullshit." Steve was the most selfishly selfless man she'd ever met. "I didn't ask him to. I _wouldn't_ have asked him to. I would have stopped him if I was there. He did it because he doesn't know how not to. Because he doesn't know how to handle wondering '_what if I had just been a little better_.'"

Natasha slides an arm around her, unhindered by her nasty looks. "Is that what you're thinking now? Because there was nothing you could have done. You weren't even there."

"Exactly! I should have been there!" The formation of trees closest to them are uprooted, hovering suspended in the air. "I should have been there from the beginning, because I never should have left him! You know, maybe if I hadn't I wouldn't even have this baby, and I wouldn't be so fucking useless!"

Thor grabs her jaw in one of his giant hands, surprisingly soft for a man of his size and power. The trees slam to the ground with an echoing thud. "You cannot blame this on the child, and you cannot blame this on yourself. What's done is done. Push your anger aside so that you may begin to mourn."

"You're not the only one who lost him," Howard tells her, kneeling at Steve's side. "We can get through this together."

"No." DJ's fingers clutched at the charred scraps of Steve's armor, hauling his torso over to rest in her lap. "I don't think so. He cheated death once, he can do it again."

"That was different," Clint says too patiently. "He was frozen then, DJ. It's a miracle there's even a body this time."

She extends a hand and Clint goes flying across the forest. "I love you, Clint, but stay the hell out of my way."

DJ pulls Steve tighter against her chest, eyes staring unfocused at the sky. "You're going to give him back to me. I don't know who you are or where you are, but I know you can do it. Reality is in your hands, isn't it? You said you could give me what I want, so do it. Do it and I'll give you what you want."

The air around them is quiet, an answer refusing to come.

The next ring of trees is ripped from the ground and flattened out. "Fix him! You know what I can do. I'll rip every inch of this island apart until I find you, and when I do I'll separate you atom by atom. And I'll make sure you feel it. But if you fix him, I'll give myself up. You can keep me. You can use me. I don't care. Just give him back."

Before them grew a swirling cloud of gray mist, and in the center stood the cloaked figure. "And what about the baby?"

The figure cards his fingers tauntingly through DJ's twisted blonde curls, and she has to fight not to blow him to pieces. "You don't touch the baby. You don't touch _me_ until it's born. You said it yourself; I could keep you alive for months. You don't need my baby. So fix Steve, or else you'll get no one."

"Interesting proposal," he hums. "But I do still have your Hulk."

"And it wouldn't take me five seconds to dissolve the chains he's in when I find him. Which I will."

The sky darkens as he crouches, leaning in close. "You're also very presumptuous. I could kill you and the infant right now. What makes you think I couldn't trade you in for all your friends? Why should I want you over them?"

"You've shown your hand, asshole."

"Perhaps I've changed my mind. Perhaps I'm not willing to settle."

Thor grips the figure's shoulder, pulling him away from DJ's face. "If you will not accept her alone, I shall accompany her. I am a god; surely I produce ample energy."

"And me," Tony offers. "I've created my own energy source to keep myself alive. Pretty sure I could work something out for you."

"Stop it," DJ barks, hot tears swelling in her eyes. "I don't need you to do this."

"But we want to," Natasha murmurs softly.

The cloaked figure, clearly unimpressed by the sacrificial display, picked disinterestedly at his nails. "So all of you, then?"

"Yes," Clint agrees, while Howard hesitantly nods.

"Wonderful. You've got a deal." He reaches down, hands pouring out light, and stretches his palms over two points on Steve's body. Slowly the skin over exposed muscles starts to knit back together, and before he's completely healed he takes a painful, heaving breath of air. "It's done."

Blue eyes crack open and stare blearily at DJ. "Daisy? What…"

"I'm sorry," she whimpers. "I had to, Steve. I had to. I love you so much. Everything's going to be okay. I promise."

"Time's up," the cloaked figure grunts, and Steve stares in confusion until the figure wraps stick-thin fingers around DJ's pale throat and disappears in a puff of smoke with his lover and all of his friends in tow.

The six of them land on cold, hard cement at Bruce's feet.

"So what's the plan?" Tony asks into the dark, hand reaching out in the mostly unhelpful glow of his arc reactor to find DJ's.

"The plan was to let him have me," she replies gruffly. "And now I have to come up with a way to get the six of you out."

"You were serious about that, then?" Howard shuffles in the pitch black expanse. "About giving yourself up?"

The sound of her scoff resonates in the cell. "Absolutely."

"It seems pretty stupid," Clint begins. "That you're willing to hand your life over on a platter in order to resurrect him, and yet you don't think you're at a point where you could marry him."

* * *

One chapter and perhaps a short epilogue left! Sorry about the wait again. College is a bitch. Feedback would be super fantastic and would totally validate my efforts. Also, as this is coming to an end I've started a new story- Love and Failure. And in case you weren't aware of that fact, go to my page and check it out! Much love to you beautiful people.


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